


Heal with Love, Cope with Kindness, Always have a Lookout

by roswolf



Category: Bleach
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Children, F/M, M/M, Mental Health Issues, No TYBW, Original Character(s), Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, inconsistent pacing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:20:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 89,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22370173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roswolf/pseuds/roswolf
Summary: When Grimmjow goes to investigate the letters on his wrist, he ends up getting more than he bargained for. Ichigo is still healing from the war and the aftermath, and finds a new source of strength. With peace being brokered between the worlds, new allies are closer than they seem.
Relationships: Ayasegawa Yumichika/Kurosaki Yuzu, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques/Kurosaki Ichigo, Hitsugaya Toushirou/Kurosaki Karin, Inoue Orihime/Ishida Uryuu, Kurosaki Isshin/Kurosaki Masaki, Sado "Chad" Yasutora/Nelliel Tu Oderschvank
Comments: 98
Kudos: 279





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Screw the Thousand Year Blood War arc, I want Ukitake and Yachiru to be alive, so they are. Yamamoto and Ywach killed each other in Mutually Assured Destruction. There are a few original characters, but the recognized ones belong to Kubo Tite.

Sitting on a rocky outcropping, Grimmjow looked out over the barren sands of Hueco Mundo despondently. He hated this world, all the colorless sand and dead trees, the mindless Menos that shuffled as one writhing organism in the distance. Still, it was his home. Or at least it had been. Ever since Aizen and his two lackeys had come, the place hadn’t felt like where he belonged, and the new markings on his wrist only made it worse. Vivid blue eyes glanced at the two letters scrawled just below the heel of his left hand. I.K. The only hollows with two names were arrancar like himself, and none of the survivors had those letters in their names. Hell, Harribel, Szayel, and Starrk had no marks at all. Nel said she did, but Grimmjow wasn’t sure if she was just putting him on. The once Tres espada may have regained the capacity to hold her adult form, but she was still very childish at times. It was annoying. And, to make matters worse, he could sense her coming. The idiot probably wanted him to “play” with her again. Huffing, Grimmjow opened a garganta to escape the green haired goat woman. The human world, despite its noise and how weak the inhabitants were, was still far better than being roped into some inane game. Besides, he had a feeling the letters on his wrist would mean more to him there. 

Stepping out of the garganta, Grimmjow blinked for a moment against the bright sun. The air was a bit chilly up as high as he was, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. Under his skin he could feel the itch that had appeared a few days after the letters get more irritating. It was like a crawling sensation just under his skin and infiltrating his muscles. Scratching idly at the long scar across his chest, the former espada reached out with his senses to see if he could find some worthy prey. It only took a few moments before a feral grin split his face, Kurosaki. He’d know the feel of that one anywhere. The shinigami’s reiatsu was a little different than before, almost as though it were more complete and complex. Still as strong and overwhelming as always, Grimmjow licked his lips before using his sonido to get to his opponent. They did have unfinished business after all.

When he got closer, turquoise eyes narrowed in disdain. He could see Kurosaki, along with the brat’s annoying friends, sitting inside a building. Must have been that “school” thing the Inoue girl had told him about once. It seemed pointless to him, but clearly an important cultural task for humans based on how many were in the room. Grimmjow snorted in amusement when he noticed the Quincy boy and the dark skinned one who had come to Hueco Mundo with Kurosaki to rescue Inoue tense as they sensed him. Two others looked his way, a boy with chin length brown hair and a girl with very short black hair, both paled and stiffened. So they could see him, wasn’t that interesting. Had he known there were so many humans with the power to see him, Grimmjow would have had a lot more fun before the war. Inoue barely blinked when she turned his way, must have been looking to see where her fellow humans were looking. The one he wanted to notice him was the only one who seemed not to notice, though. Kurosaki was still staring straight ahead, presumably focused on whatever pointless lesson was being taught in the room. With the windows closed, he would have had to strain to hear if anyone was talking, and he didn’t care enough to do so. What he did notice was the long red welt on Kurosaki’s inner forearm. From this distance, it looked to have been caused by the hybrid scratching himself. 

As he got closer, Grimmjow saw Kurosaki’s left hand start to scratch at the boy’s chest. It seemed a harmless motion at first, but the boy didn’t stop. He just kept scratching. And the oddest thing was, the more the ginger scratched, the weaker his reiatsu grew. Clearly, he wasn’t the only one noticing this about Kurosaki, the dark skinned one was out of his seat and crouching next to the orange haired boy. A caramel colored hand covered the one busily scratching under the ill-fitting white shirt Kurosaki wore, and it was like someone had snapped the hybrid with a rubber band in the face. Muddy brown eyes turned and saw Grimmjow, and he was close enough to see the faint sheen of sweat on the boy’s face and neck. For some reason, he felt himself get concerned. Mentally shaking himself, Grimmjow swore it was just because it wouldn’t be a fair fight if Kurosaki was sick. And that was what he had come to do, fight the shinigami hybrid again. Fair and square, no interference. So what if being so close made the itch under his own skin feel just shy of maddening. Surely, it was just because he hadn’t had a good fight in what felt like eons. That had to be it. Kurosaki’s eyes locked with his own before flicking upward, as though the boy was indicating something. Tilting his head in confusion, a sharp toll of a bell sounded before Grimmjow could move closer to inquire further. He watched Kurosaki stand and head for the door to the room, tracked his reiatsu as it climbed up higher and followed it. If he’d been any less dignified, he would have smacked his face with his palm. The roof. That’s what the flick of the eyes had meant. 

Stepping onto the roof, Grimmjow shoved his hands in his pockets and glared impatiently at the door. Kurosaki was the first to step out, followed by his idiot friends. The tall one had both arms transformed into whatever kind of weapons he used, the Quincy had an arrow trained on him, and Inoue was ready to throw up her shield at any second. “Che, need your little friends to fight your battles, Kurosaki? You promised me a fight last time we met. I’m here to collect.” The arrogance Grimmjow tried to inject into his voice covered how shocked he was to see the boy full on. Kurosaki was taller, still not as tall as the arrancar himself, but taller than he’d been when they’d last met. The ginger was still a vision of lean and toned muscles, but thinner than before. It wasn’t fully the kind of thin one would expect of a growing boy losing their baby fat, it seemed more than vaguely unhealthy, but Grimmjow tried not to notice it. He didn’t care as long as Kurosaki could still fight. And from the feel of the boy’s reiatsu, that was still on the table. 

Ichigo just sighed and walked over toward the fencing that surrounded the school’s roof. “I know I said that. And I am good on my word, but not today. I’ve got school, and then I have something important after. Can you take a rain check until tomorrow afternoon?” 

Grimmjow growled, annoyed at how he’d been blown off. “Are you fucking kidding me? I’ve waited long enough, you’re fighting me here and now. I don’t even give a shit if you’re still in that meatsuit you call a body.” Lunging forward, he threw a punch at the boy’s face. Hell, maybe he’d knock him out of that pitiful body into his soul form and make him fight. But that didn’t happen. Despite the constraints of mortal flesh and bone, Kurosaki caught his wrist. Dodged a punch thrown with the speed of his best sonido behind it, and stopped him in his tracks. What was even more jarring was that the hand holding his wrist had made the incessant itch stop. Grimmjow’s eyes widened as he realized the itch was gone. It was like a switch had been flipped, the prickling and crawling feeling was just gone. As he struggled to find out why, he noticed the boy’s eyes going just as wide as his own felt. 

“Grimmjow…” Kurosaki sounded hesitant, almost frightened, “do you...do you have any letters on your left wrist…?”

Shock washed over Grimmjow like he’d had a bucket of ice water dumped on his head. Jerking his hand back, he didn’t care that Kurosaki stumbled from the force of the movement, he was too busy reeling mentally. Why would the boy ask that of him? What did he know that Grimmjow himself didn’t? “What do you care?”

Kurosaki licked his lips as Grimmjow tried to ignore the action. “Humans...when we hit a certain age...we get the initials of our soulmate on our left wrist. Initials can be kinda vague, right? So there’s a way to tell when you’ve met your person. A lot of people describe it like an itch, too deep to be scratched and just always there. Until you meet your soulmate. Once you meet them and touch them, the itch stops.” Kurosaki paused, and Grimmjow felt his stomach drop. When the boy lifted his left wrist, the G.J. looked to be in the same handwriting the arrancar recognized as his own. He swallowed hard as Kurosaki spoke again, sounding distant this time. “When I grabbed your wrist, I stopped itching.” 

Feeling his legs starting to buckle, Grimmjow sat down on the warm white cement of the school roof. Idly noticing Kurosaki sitting next to him, he slowly turned his left wrist over and exposed the two letters on his pale skin. I.K. How could two letters look so incriminating and heavy? His mouth was unusually dry, so he swallowed a few times before glancing at eyes that had gone from muddy to mocha. “I, uh, suppose this is your writin’, then? Don’ expect me to remember your first name, never cared ta learn it last time.” He was only faintly aware that the Quincy and the other two had discarded their weapons and come to sit on the roof as well. 

“The I is for Ichigo. And yeah, that’s my writing.” Shaking fingers reached toward Grimmjow’s wrist before stopping and retreating. “I didn’t get your initials until after the war. It was...I tried not to get my hopes up that it would be you, because I didn’t even know if you’d made it. Not that I was ever into you like that.” A dark blush washed over Kurosaki’s cheeks, flowing all the way to the tip of the ear that Grimmjow could see. He tried not to smirk at the sight of it, clearly the boy was embarrassed. “Mostly I was just happy I got a mark. People who make it to seventeen with no mark, it’s not good.”

“Why? What’s the big fuss with not havin’ letters?” Scooting a little closer, just because the itch was back, not that he wanted to be close to Kurosaki, Grimmjow tilted his head in interest. Maybe it meant the human would die? But then, shouldn’t there be more hollows back home that he could eat?

Kurosaki looked suspicious as he leaned back against the fence, eyeing Grimmjow oddly. “If you hit seventeen with no mark, either your soulmate is already dead and you’ll never meet them, or they haven’t even been born yet.” The boy scrubbed his hands over his face, like he was trying to erase all traces of that earlier blush before scowling and leaning away to punch Grimmjow in the shoulder. “And now thanks to you I don’t have any lunch. I was gonna buy something but the cafeteria will be sold out by now.”

Rubbing his arm where he’d been hit, Grimmjow stuck out his tongue at Ichigo. “Not my fault you’re too dumb to feed yourself.”

Before Ichigo could retort, the tall boy thrust a container into Ichigo’s hands before leveling a hard glare at Grimmjow. “Skipping meals is not a joking matter for Ichigo.” There was an undertone of protectiveness that the arrancar picked up in the words, though he didn’t understand why. It was just one meal, couldn’t he live on his reiatsu?

“Chad, it’s fine. It’s not like he would have had any way of knowing.” Ichigo sounded tired and resigned as he pulled out his phone and opened some sort of app before taking the lid off the container he’d been handed. As soon as the aroma of meat and spices hit Grimmjow’s nose, he saw Ichigo’s eyes light up as a smile spread over the boy’s face. “You made tamales? Thank you, thank you, thank you!” 

The tall one, Chad, grinned and pulled out a dish for himself. “I think I finally nailed Abuelo’s recipe. But I always make too much, so you have to help me eat it all.” He made it sound like a chore, which made Grimmjow frown. Who was this human to tell the shinigami what to do?

A clicking noise came from the phone in Ichigo’s hand as the ginger pressed something. A little typing later, and the device was stashed into the front pocket of the white shirt he was wearing. Grimmjow watched as the boy picked up some utensils he hadn’t seen before and tucked into the meal, making sounds of what had to be pleasure based on how fast he was eating. Halfway through the dish, caramel eyes met electric blue with the arch of an eyebrow. “What? Do I have some on my face? Or were you expecting me to offer you some? Can you even eat human food? I’ve tried in my soul form but it made me sick, but your anatomy and digestive tract are different from mine.” 

“Are you always such a noisy eater? Shit like that gets you killed, you know. Eat fast and eat quiet before someone else tries to steal your food, idiot.” The smell of meat and spices were tantalizing, and Grimmjow could feel his mouth watering, but he’d sooner cut out his tongue than admit it. “I eat hollows, dumbass. Not whatever the shit that is.”

“Traditional Mexican home cooking.” Chad retorted, eating his own dish just as fast. Inoue and the Quincy boy were going slower, and sitting farther from Grimmjow, not that he cared. They were just annoyances to him. 

Ichigo’s eyes rolled as he put the utensils in the dish and closed it up again. “No, I’m not a noisy eater. I just like Chad’s cooking because it’s different than what I normally eat and he’s a good cook. Usually I’m eating my own cooking or my little sister’s cooking, so something else is a nice treat at times.” Grimmjow watched the boy’s expression turn more serious again. “I did mean it that I can’t fight you today. I have to finish my classes, and then I have an appointment after school. I can’t skip it.”

“Well why the fuck not? You didn’t used to care what time of day it was.” Crossing his arms, Grimmjow fought the urge to reach for Ichigo’s wrist. He wanted the itch gone again, even though it wasn’t as bad as it had been before they had touched. But now he knew it could go away.

“Yeah, and that was because there was a war coming. There is no war on the horizon, on any front, and I still have my future to think of. I’m still primarily a human, which means I’ll need to have a job. And I’m not skipping therapy.” 

Scoffing, Grimmjow leered at the boy.  _ His _ boy. They had each other’s initials and could stop each other’s itching, so no sense in not claiming him. “What’s the matter? Head get fucked up fighting for the stupid Shinigami?”

“As a matter of fact, yeah, it did. Depression, PTSD, anorexia, and night terrors were what I won in the war.” The flat tone of Ichigo’s voice made Grimmjow feel like he’d been slapped. He understood what night terrors were, had suffered from them himself after what Tousen had done to his arm. The rest he didn’t really know or understand, but they must have been relatively serious based on how the other humans reacted. “Why do you think Chad got mad at you for joking about me skipping a meal?”

“Well, you tell me. Not like I understand half of what you said. Night terrors, I know. The rest of it was just words to me.” It was a struggle not to sound defensive, but Grimmjow wasn’t about to give the humans the satisfaction of finding him lacking. Sure, he was smart enough, but these things sounded like purely human defects, not something a hollow would know.

For the first time, the Quincy spoke up, pulling out a pad of paper and a pen. As he jotted down notes, he addressed Grimmjow directly. “There isn’t enough time left before the bell to explain it to you, and you’ll only cause trouble lingering here. You should go to Urahara-san’s shop until classes end.”

Ichigo nodded in agreement, pulling his phone back out of his pocket and typing on it. “I’ll message him to expect you and to prepare his basement for tomorrow. That’s the best place for us to fight at, and he’ll want time to make sure his wards can handle us both. If you come back at three, you can go with me to my appointment and learn more if you want.” 

As much as he wanted to argue against it, Ichigo and the Quincy boy were making logical sense. And having a prepared battlefield would be favorable. It would mean no surprises and no traps. Taking the paper held out by the Quincy, he looked at the crisp writing suspiciously. “He ain’t gonna knife me, is he?”

“He better not. I’ve texted him that I expect you to remain in one piece until at least our fight tomorrow. I’ve asked him to get you a gigai, too.” Tucking his phone back into his pocket, Ichigo smiled faintly at Grimmjow. The arrancar wasn’t sure what to think of that, it sounded too much like a favor or pity.

Wrinkling his nose, Grimmjow rose to his feet. “I don’t know what that is, but I don’t need it.” Shoving the piece of paper into his pocket, he ran one hand through his hair restlessly. “But fine, as long as you keep your word to fight me tomorrow, I’ll leave for now.”


	2. Chapter 2

Hours later, Grimmjow crouched on top of the wall surrounding the school. He could sense Ichigo moving down through the building and closer to the door, and was just waiting to see the fiery hair of the boy in the crowd of children spilling from the structure. Eventually, he spotted the shinigami, side by side with the Quincy boy. Growling softly, he waited for the pair to get to the gate before jumping down. “What, you need the Quincy to escort you, too?”

The quincy adjusted his glasses and side eyed him, drawing a sneer from Grimmjow. “For your information, I am merely heading to the same location as you and Kurosaki. And if I walk with him, he won’t get odd looks for talking to you from people who can’t see you.” 

Watching Ichigo sling his bag over his shoulder, Grimmjow sighed and walked alongside the pair of teens. “Fine, whatever. Let’s just get this over with so we can have our fight tomorrow.”

A smirk played at the corner of Ichigo’s lips, and Grimmjow forced himself to ignore how well it suited the boy. “So I’m curious, what drove you to come to the living world today? Why didn’t you come months ago, or months from now?”

“Didn’t feel like dealing with Nel, was bored as fuck, and figured it was about damn time I came to collect on your promise.” A human with their eyes glued to their phone shoulder checked Grimmjow, making him growl in annoyance. If that crazy shopkeep hadn’t sparred with him some, he would have just killed the fool for the slight. 

“I take it she’s doing well, then? I’m glad to hear it. I worried about her, even once I found out she’s not in the body of a little child anymore.” There was a warmth in Ichigo’s eyes that almost sparked a bit of jealousy in Grimmjow. If he understood the concept of soulmates properly, the ginger belonged to him. Not Nel, not anyone else. The boy was his.

Up ahead a large building towered with a large red cross symbol on the side. “She’d be less annoying if she was that small. I could drop kick her and get her outta my sight better.” The glare Ichigo levelled at him was satisfying to say the least. He knew the boy had been close with Nel and that she and her so called brothers had helped him and his friends.

“Try it and I’ll cut your balls off for it.” The threat was issued through clenched teeth as the trio entered the large building. Grimmjow could smell death from every direction, and there were spirits shuffling between the living with varying lengths of chains from their chests. 

As Grimmjow followed the teens into an empty elevator, the Quincy’s phone rang. As curious as he was about what kind of contraption they were traveling in, he couldn’t exactly avoid overhearing the dark haired teen’s conversation. Someone calling to demand to know why there was an arrancar in the voice’s hospital. “Calm down, Ryuuken. He’s not here to hurt anyone. He’s here with Kurosaki.” The call continued on a little longer, ending with the boy disconnecting it and stashing the phone back in his pocket.

Between Grimmjow and the Quincy boy, Ichigo had his eyes fixed on the floor indicator. “You know, I’ve always wondered why you call your dad by his first name, Ishida. Is it just because he never wanted you to become a Quincy?”

“That’s part of it. But mostly because I walked in on his cutting my mother open on our dining room table less than eight hours after she died from Yhwach’s culling. And all to harvest some sort of specialized material that we didn’t even end up needing to defeat the bastard.” Grimmjow blinked in surprise at the flippant tone the boy used as the elevator came to a stop. And he had thought that hollows were cruel and vicious bastards. 

“Well, that’s pretty fucked up. Good luck chatting with him anyway.” Grimmjow watched Ichigo clap the other teen on the shoulder as the elevator doors opened. “Come on, Grimmjow, this is our floor.”

Following Ichigo out of the elevator, Grimmjow noticed the hallway was quiet and lined with doors. Each door had a nameplate on it, with the letters DR at the start. “Hey, what’s the DR for?”

With his hand on one of the doorknobs, Ichigo turned to him curiously. “Huh? Oh, it’s short for Doctor. All these people went to school and studied to become experts in their fields and earned the title of Doctor. Ishida’s father is a doctor, and he owns this hospital. My dad is also a doctor, and he runs a medical clinic from our house because the two are attached. The person we’re here to see is also a doctor, but he specializes in mental health.”

Nodding in understanding, Grimmjow decided to play nice. His curiosity and the building itch were good motivation to stick close to the shinigami. Entering the office, they were waved through by a stern faced woman to a further room. Stepping inside, he eyed the furniture and the large window on the back wall. There was a steaming cup of tea waiting on a low table in front of the couch. “Toshiya-sensei, thanks for the tea.” The arrancar watched as Ichigo sat and took a sip of the tea, sighing softly in satisfaction. 

Across from the couch, a man shorter than Ichigo and more barrel chested blinked at Grimmjow in surprise. “Kurosaki-kun, good afternoon. Am I in any danger from the rather human looking hollow with you?”

Grimmjow pulled Pantera from his belt and leaned it against the couch as he dropped down to sit next to Ichigo. “Nah, got a good fight earlier, and you’re weak as shit.”

A sharp elbow struck him in the ribs before Ichigo let the back of his arm rest against the back of Grimmjow’s. The contact made the itch under his skin stop again, and he almost sighed in relief. “I apologize for him, Sensei. This is Grimmjow, I think I’ve told you about him? He came to collect on the promise I made to fight him again if he survived the war, and it turns out we have each other’s initials on our wrists.” 

The man smiled in greeting, clearly noticing how they were touching arms. “I see. Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Grimmjow-san.” With a pen and a notepad in his hand, the man turned his attention to Ichigo once more. “I checked your log, looks like you had quite a nice lunch. The picture was later than you usual post, though. Was there any specific reason for that?”

Over the course of the next hour, Grimmjow listened as Ichigo and the older man talked about the teen’s eating habits, how he was sleeping, and the incident at the school when the boy had scratched at his chest. Apparently that had been a flashback to the war and a wound he had sustained at Ulquiorra’s hands. Hearing about what had taken place at the roof of Las Noches made him frown. Ichigo had almost died by someone else’s hand. It was his job to end the hybrid, no one else’s. And if he ended the teen’s mortal life, there would be no excuses to avoid fighting him until they killed one another. The warmth of Ichigo’s arm against his own had been just shy of blissful, but he’d never admit that. Arrancar weren’t supposed to want to be touched, after all. 

After leaving the hospital, Pantera once more tucked securely into his belt, Grimmjow found himself at a loss for words. After what he’d learned over the previous hour, he was reluctant to prod or jeer at Ichigo. The boy had truly been through a lot of shit, but he knew he only had part of the story. Finding the silence between them almost stifling, he picked a topic at random. “So why did he care about your eating habits? I didn’t really understand that part.”

The sudden question made Ichigo jump a little, and he spoke softly to avoid other humans on the street hearing him. “I’ve got an eating disorder. It’s the sort of thing that once you develop it, you never get rid of it. After the war, I lost my powers for a year and a half. I felt like I had lost control of my life, and I needed to get it back. Controlling how much I ate gave me back a feeling of power over my own life. And since most days I didn’t feel like I deserved food, I ate less and less. So I lost weight, in a very unhealthy way. When I weighed less than my younger sisters, I got caught and my family intervened. It was hard, I wasn’t used to eating proper meals anymore so my stomach couldn’t hold a normal amount of food for a few months. That’s part of what put me in therapy with Toshiya-sensei. He used to be a quincy, but he lost his powers in the Cull. He was just lucky enough not to die from it. So he’s someone that I can be fully honest with about what I’ve been through without him wanting to have me put in a nut-house. My family and friends are really adamant about making sure I don’t skip any meals since that’s a slippery path back into anorexic behaviors. I didn’t have my own lunch from home today because there were only enough leftovers from last night to make lunches for my sisters, so I had money with me to buy something.”

“So that’s why that tall friend of yours fed ya?” If Ichigo didn’t eat, he wouldn’t be strong enough to be a worthwhile opponent. Grimmjow made a mental note to keep the hybrid fed properly so he would be strong enough for a proper challenge.

Ichigo pulled his keys from his pocket as they arrived at a house with an attached clinic that bore the name Kurosaki on the glass door. “That, and the recipe he knows for tamales makes way too much for him to eat on his own without it spoiling. And that’s with him freezing some for another time.” The keys turned in the lock, but Ichigo didn’t open the door. Grimmjow thought the boy looked almost bashful as he looked over his shoulder. “My sisters are twins. The light haired one is Yuzu, she can’t see spirits, so she won’t be able to see you. Karin, the one with black hair, will be able to see you. Also, my dad used to be a shinigami captain, and he’s crazy. So, you know, sorry about him in advance.” With that said, the door was pushed open just in time to see a man who looked around the same age as Toshiya-sensei had charging forward to throw a flying knee strike at Ichigo’s face. 

“What the fuck?!”


	3. Chapter 3

Grimmjow’s hand was on Pantera’s grip, ready to draw the blade. Instead, Ichigo just sighed and stepped to the side before kicking the man in the back and launching him almost clear to the other side of the street. 

“Dad, you idiot. We have company, and you still can’t control yourself?” A faint blush was visible on the back of Ichigo’s neck, but it wasn’t enough to make Grimmjow release his grip on his blade.

“Kisuke called and told me all about this arrancar. Having my only son’s initials on his wrists, he’s clearly after your virtue. Never fear, Daddy will protect you!” The man was up on his feet, and bellowing louder than Nel in a mood. 

The blush on the back of Ichigo’s neck darkened, spreading over the teen’s whole face and disappearing into his hair. “Dad! That’s not what he’s after, and I can protect myself! Would you shut up and go back inside?!”

Leaning in, Grimmjow eyed the man in the white coat suspiciously. “He was a captain? Seriously? Like, a to be feared, notorious hunter of hollows, captain?” He was having a hard time believing it.

With a heavy sigh, Ichigo nodded and walked into the house, now ignoring his father. “Yeah, he was.” Taking off his shoes at the door, the teen put on a pair of slippers and set some out for Grimmjow as well. “I know you’re a spirit and all, but manners are manners. And I’m not going to get yelled at over you tracking in dirt and mud. So take off your shoes and put these on.” 

Had the day been any less surreal, Grimmjow would have flipped Ichigo off and ignored him. But he was willing to comply for the moment, at least in part. Unzipping his boots from the back, he slipped them off, but ignored the slippers. Being barefoot was better, strategically speaking. Looking around the inside of the house, he spotted two girls sitting in the living room. “That your sisters? They don’t seem like much.”

The darker haired girl looked up sharply, her eyes going wide. “Ichi-nii, why is there a hollow standing behind you?” She moved to place herself in front of her sister, as though she was trying to protect the other girl.   
  


“Oh, is there a spirit in the house? Should I get the glasses that Urahara-san made?” Hazel eyes squinted in Grimmjow’s direction as the other girl twisted her hair up into a messy bun that was secured with a pencil.

Stepping further into the house, Ichigo dropped his book bag next to the couch as the door opened and shut behind Grimmjow. “Yeah, he’s my soulmate, actually. Grimmjow, my sisters. Karin, Yuzu, this is Grimmjow. And yeah, Yuzu, you’ll want those glasses to see him. I forgot that he’d given them to you. Don’t worry about making any dinner for him, he can’t eat regular food.”

“It’s your night to cook, Onii-chan, not mine.” The lighter haired girl, Yuzu, opened a drawer next to the television and pulled out a glasses case. Extracting the pair, she slid them on and blinked for a few moments before smiling brightly at Grimmjow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Grimmjow-san. You aren’t here to hurt us or Onii-chan, I take it. Can you handle drinks? I don’t know much about hollows, but if you can drink things, I can make some tea if you’re thirsty.”

Arching an eyebrow at the brunet, Grimmjow stiffened as he felt Ichigo’s father pass behind him. “I can drink, but I don’t know if I can drink the same shit as you. You’re human, and I’m not, so it’s different. An’ if I was gonna hurt ya, you’d be dead already.”

The dark haired girl scoffed at him and turned back to the book in front of her. “Yeah, that’s  _ so _ comforting. But if Ichi-nii is vouching for you, I suppose it would be rude to just throw you out. Just know he and Dad can kill you if you try anything.”

Grimmjow laughed at that, watching as Ichigo headed to a place behind a counter. He assumed that it was the food prep room, a kitchen, if he recalled correctly. Taking a seat on the couch, he once more had pulled Pantera from his belt but kept it in his hand. “If yer brother had the skill to kill me, he’d have done so two years ago. But he couldn’t, so he told me he’d fight me again after.”

“So you came to fight him because like all of his non-human friends, you’re obsessed with violence?” Karin tucked some long hairs behind her ear as she gave Grimmjow a rather unimpressed look. He had to admit, the girl had balls. A few more years and some hard training under her belt and he’d expect a solid fighter out of her. Not enough to take him on, but enough to hold her own against Yylfordt for a while. If the blond was still around, that is. 

The grin he flashed at her was wide enough to part the teeth of his mask. “Damn right. Might even not kill him when we do fight.” Good opponents were so hard to find, killing Ichigo would eliminate one of the best he’d ever met. So he’d probably spare the boy. Maybe get the Inoue girl there to heal the hybrid after the fact. 

A weight behind him was Grimmjow’s only clue that Ichigo’s father was leaning on the couch and looking over his shoulder. Inwardly, the arrancar swore violently. Even without sensing the man’s reiatsu, he should have heard or seen him move. “Good thing Kisuke has that healing spring in his basement. When you and Ichigo are done beating each other bloody, go have a good soak and your wounds will heal. It won’t replenish your energy, but you’ll live to fight each other another time.” 

“Dad’s right. That healing spring is a really helpful and handy thing. I’ve been able to use one like it more than once when I was learning Bankai. We’ll probably have to drag ourselves back here and just collapse, but it’ll mean we can fight again on another day.” The sound of a knife chopping through vegetables accompanied Ichigo’s words. Looking over at the ginger, Grimmjow almost frowned to see that none of the boy’s focus was on him. It was as though the whole family had unanimously decided he was harmless. It was insulting, really. Except that it wasn’t. Not even his own fraccion had been this at ease with him. 

Grimmjow watched as the girls finished their schoolwork, doing his best to ignore the way their father kept watching him like a hawk. The silence was awkward, so he stood from the couch and moved closer to Ichigo. Taking a gamble, he left Pantera leaning on the side of the couch. After all, he was positive no one in the house was faster than him, so he’d be able to get his blade if needed. “Your family is weird.” 

Ichigo snorted and laughed at that, hardly pausing as he stirred a pot of food. “Yeah, I can see why you’d say that.” Dipping a spoon in, he tasted the sauce before pouring some sort of seasoning into his palm and added it to the pot. “We should ask Urahara tomorrow about getting you a body so you can blend in with people. I mean, I assume you’re going to be hanging around so we can spar, and to avoid itching so damn bad.” It was hard to say it the color in the teen’s cheeks was from the steam rising from the pot or embarrassment.

“We’ll need to buy a bigger bed for your room, then, won’t we? You and Mr. Arrancar won’t both fit in your current one comfortably. I’ll order one tomorrow. Queen sized or King, do you think? We may need to do away with your desk if you want a King bed.” Moving to sit at the table facing the kitchen, Ichigo’s father held some sort of device in his hands. “Perhaps a Queen sized bed would be best. You two will want to be able to touch easily to keep your bond strong, and you’ll be able to keep your desk and still have access to your closet.” 

“None of that means a damn thing to me.” Shaking his head, Grimmjow leaned back against the counter next to Ichigo. From the corner of his eye, he saw the ginger blushing again. Was it because it was his father saying such things or because he was that embarrassed to have to be so close to Grimmjow. 

“My current bed is pretty much just wide enough for me to sleep comfortably. If you plan on staying the night, we’re gonna have to get pretty damn close to each other.” Ichigo didn’t make eye contact with him, turning the other way to open some device that was playing music. Based on what he’d seen of food in the human world, he’d assume it was rice.

Reaching out, Grimmjow forced the back of his hand down the back collar of Ichigo’s shirt. The heat coming off the teen’s skin was just shy of scalding. He almost purred at the sensation. “That ain’t gonna be a problem.” 

Having jumped at the hand down the collar of his shirt, Ichigo spun and backhanded Grimmjow’s shoulder with some moderate force. “Bad kitty.” It was hilarious how easily the teen flustered. 

“Don’t expect me to meow at you.” Flashing some fang at Ichigo, Grimmjow moved to sit at the table next to Ichigo’s father. The device in the man’s hand looked similar to the phone he’d seen Ichigo use earlier in the day, just bigger. “So what do I call you? Crazy old bastard?” 

A sullen look was shot at Grimmjow before the man next to him sat up taller. “Isshin. At least until you and my son get married. Then you can call me Dad.” 

“Goat face also works.” Karin commented idly, having gotten up to set the table for her brother. “He answers to it as well as anything else. Also, be prepared for him to randomly go wailing over to that poster.” Following where the girl pointed, Grimmjow saw a massive poster of a smiling woman. Just below the poster was what looked like a shrine, perhaps. He wasn’t sure, he’d only heard of them from Wholes talking amongst themselves before he’d eaten them in the past.

“That was our Mom. Karin and I were really, really little when she died.” Yuzu’s voice was soft at his side, and it took more effort than Grimmjow would admit to not jump. The whole damn family were creeping him out with how easily they were able to sneak up on him. “She was protecting Onii-chan from a hollow.” 

“Yeah? Which one?” Maybe it was one he had eaten in his quest to avoid regression.

A snapping noise startled Grimmjow as Isshin flipped the cover closed on the device in his hands. “Grand Fisher. I killed him when Ichigo was training to fight you and Aizen.” 

Setting dishes on the table, Ichigo sat between Grimmjow and his sisters. “Must have been when I was learning control over Zangetsu.” Looking up, dark brown eyes held anger mixed with a sense of satisfaction. “I’m glad you’re the one that killed him. It’s only right.” 

The rest of the meal was silent, Grimmjow watched as the family of four ate quietly and talked little. Once he was done, Ichigo pulled his phone out and typed on it for a few moments before tucking it back into his pocket. “I’m going up to my room. I’ll see you in the morning.” Rising from his seat, a warm hand landed on Grimmjow’s shoulder. “Follow me, I’ll show you to my room. I don’t have a proper sword rack for Pantera, though.” 

Pushing his chair out, Grimmjow rose slowly and turned to follow Ichigo. “I’m impressed. Didn’t think you’d remember the name of my resurreccion.” Grabbing Pantera, he followed the boy up the stairs.

Several hours later, after Grimmjow had damn near gotten bored enough to claw his own eyes out, Ichigo declared it was time for bed. With Pantera already leaning against the stand next to the bed, the hollow dragged himself up off the narrow bed and shrugged off his jacket before reaching for the zipper on his sleeveless shirt. Noticing the way he was being stared at, he dropped his hand back to his side. “What? What is with that look?”

“You, uh, have underwear on beneath your pants, right?” Ichigo could barely look him in the eye, seeming to focus on the top of the scar on Grimmjow’s chest. 

Smirking, Grimmjow reached for his shirt zipper again and started pulling it down slowly. “Why? Wonderin’ what kind I go for? How’s the question go, again? Boxers or briefs?”

Red flared across the teen’s cheeks as he spun to face his closet, shaking hands struggling with the buttons on his school shirt that he was still wearing. “N-no! I just don’t want to have to sleep next to you while you’re naked!”

Laughing softly, Grimmjow draped his jacket and shirt over the back of Ichigo’s desk chair before putting his belts over the top of the pile. “I’ll leave my pants on. Won’t be worth fightin’ ya tomorrow if your head explodes from embarrassment. There’s only one demand I’m makin’ in this tiny ass bed.” 

Cautious amber eyes peered at him as Ichigo looked over his shoulder. “What’s that?”


	4. Chapter 4

“I refuse to sleep on my right side. I don’t lay on my mask in my own bed in Las Noches, I ain’t startin’ now.” Dropping back down onto the bed, Grimmjow put his hands behind himself and leaned back. With his hierro, the room wasn’t cold, but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t looking forward to Ichigo’s warmth in such tight quarters with him.

Shrugging out of his own shirt, Ichigo dutifully hung it up in his closet before kicking off his uniform pants. His back was to Grimmjow, but it was clear the boy was used to changing with others in the room. “That’s fair. If you want to sleep back to back, I’ll lay against the wall.” 

Since that sounded too much like a chance for him to get kicked out of the bed, Grimmjow shook his head. “Nah, I’ll lay there. Look, we both want to not itch, so the more we touch the better, yeah? So you sleep with your back to me, we maximize the skin contact, and then we should be able to go tomorrow without wantin’ to claw through our skin.” 

Ichigo stood abruptly, tugging up the sleep pants he was in the process of putting on. The blush was back, and this time it was going down between his shoulder blades. “If I wake up to you humping me, I’ll cut your dick off.” 

“Fuckin’ hell, you’re a damn prude. You never shared body heat before? You think it’s gotta be all about sex or something?” If he wasn’t trying to convince himself that this was purely out of necessity, Grimmjow might have been offended by Ichigo’s reactions. But in truth, it had been so long since he had anyone willing to touch him just for the sake of touch that he was practically aching for it. 

Instead of answering, Ichigo stalked out of the room. When he returned about ten minutes later, Grimmjow could smell soap and mint around him, and the room light was switched off as soon as the door clicked shut. Since he could still see just fine, Grimmjow moved enough to pull the blankets down and shimmied beneath them. Pressing his back against the wall, he watched the boy slowly approach. It was like the teen thought he was walking to his own death. “I’m not gonna bite. But you’re obviously tired, and I want to get some rest, too. Gonna need it before I have to deal with the shopkeeper while waiting on you tomorrow for our fight.”

With the sound of a resigned sigh, Ichigo sat on the edge of the bed. Grabbing the covers, he laid down, pressing himself as little as possible against the arrancar behind him. “I do still have school tomorrow, you know.”

Grimmjow rolled his eyes as he stared at the back of Ichigo’s head. The teen was about to fall out of bed. Throwing his arm around the ginger’s middle, he tugged Ichigo back against him. “I know. The shopkeep made damn sure I knew before I left his place.” The surprised squeak Ichigo let out as his breath ghosted over the boy’s ear made him grin. “Don’t want to fall out of bed, do ya?”

“Shut up. I’m going to sleep.” Ichigo sounded down right petulant, but he made no move to escape. Taking that as consent over the sleeping arrangement, Grimmjow closed his eyes and allowed himself to enjoy the warm body pressed against his own.

Hours later, Grimmjow couldn’t quite put his finger on what had woken him up. Somehow, he and Ichigo had shifted in their sleep to where the teen was laying on his back and Grimmjow’s ear was directly over the boy’s heart. Blinking blearily, the azure haired arrancar took stock of his situation. There was a heel digging into the back of his left calf, a heart beat hammering under his ear and cheek, he could hear Ichigo whimpering slightly, and there was a distinct lack of the hybrid’s normally overwhelming spiritual pressure. Before he had time to really comprehend that, nails started to scratch at his scalp. Not hard, but certainly insistent. In fact, it almost felt good, until they moved to the side of his face. As the scratching moved down, he felt those blunt nails against his mask. It was the most peculiar sensation, dull human nails scraping over the bone. Slowly, the scratching slowed until he could feel Ichigo’s fingers tracing the lines of his mask’s sharp teeth. The whimpering stopped, and the heart under his cheek slowed. 

“Grimmjow…?” A voice thick with sleep and hesitation murmured in the dark somewhere above his head. “Why...why are you laying on top of me?”

Lifting his head a little, Grimmjow shrugged one shoulder. “Dunno. Woke up like this, then you started scratching my head.” He could feel Ichigo’s reiatsu slowly returning to its normal level, and a knot he hadn’t even noticed in his stomach loosened up.

Ichigo’s chest rose and fell as he sighed. “Sorry if I scratched too hard.”

Rather than comment on that, Grimmjow worked the back of his calf out from under Ichigo’s heel and pulled himself up the bed. With his ability to see in the dark, he could make out the wet streaks going from the corners of Ichigo’s eyes and disappearing into limp ginger hair. “Night terror? I know ya said somethin’ about those.”

Nodding silently, Ichigo swallowed before speaking. “Yeah. Same one as always, but I came out of it faster than usual. Mostly because I felt your mask.”

Before Grimmjow could comment on that, the bedroom door opened and Isshin strode in. “Ichigo, how bad?” There was a case in the man’s hand that was set on the nightstand as soft light flooded the room from the lamp on the desk. 

Ichigo turned to look at his father, his voice weary when he spoke. “No blood. Grimmjow’s head was in the way, and feeling his mask pulled me out.” With the light on, Grimmjow could see fully the angry red area he’d been laying on. It matched the place he’d seen Ichigo scratching at before they’d met on the roof of the school. There were scabbed over areas, welted areas, and spots that were nearly healed. All caused by the same dull nails that had raked through his hair and along the edges of his mask, if Grimmjow had to guess.

There was a look of relief in Isshin’s tired eyes as he sank into the desk chair. “Grimmjow-san, thank you.” 

The words were so simple, but he could feel the weight behind them and it made Grimmjow want to squirm. “Didn’t do anything worth bein’ thanked for. I was just sleeping.” 

“Maybe so, but you kept me from hurting myself in my sleep. It’s always the same memory of Ulquiorra’s cero burning through me when he shot me almost point blank, but that’s the fastest I’ve ever woken up from it. And the first time I’ve not needed some sort of first aid after waking up.” 

The distant tone in Ichigo’s voice made Grimmjow frown as he sat up and looked properly at the teen. “Why did your reiatsu vanish?”

A low chuckle tumbled from Ichigo’s lips as long fingers raked through his hair. “Zangetsu’s fault. They do it to protect me and my family from the potential of it lashing out of control when I’m in the middle of a night terror or panic attack and I lose sense of where I am and if I’m safe or not. Once I come out of it enough to know where I am and that I’m not in danger, it comes back.”

“Huh. Good to know. If I feel your reiatsu vanish suddenly, your brain’s fuckin’ with you.” Nodding resolutely, Grimmjow laid back down and pulled the covers back up. He placed his head back on Ichigo’s chest without reservation. The position had been quite comfortable before the rest of what had occurred.

Laughing brightly while clearly trying to keep his voice down, Isshin stood and grabbed the case he’d brought with him before switching the light back off. “Well, if having you use my son like a life sized body pillow keeps his chest from getting more injured, I’m not about to stop you.” 

Hearing the hitch in Ichigo’s breath at that, Grimmjow barely hid his smirk. He was half expecting the teen to have some sort of conniption, but Ichigo just relaxed under him instead. “Too tired to be embarrassed. See you in the morning, Dad.”

“Sleep well, boys.” Isshin spoke softly, closing the door behind him as he left. Deciding to deal with the entire situation later, Grimmjow shifted around a bit to get comfortable again before closing his eyes and falling back to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

The next time Grimmjow stirred, there was an obnoxious beeping noise filling the room and warm arms around his shoulders. He felt one of the arms leave its place, followed by the end of the beeping noise. Reluctantly pushing himself up, he sat with Ichigo’s legs draped over his lap before the teen rolled away and moved to stand. “What was making that god awful noise?”

Ichigo yawned and scratched his side for a moment as he shuffled toward the closet that faced the bed. “Alarm clock. Means time to get up for school. Gonna go shower, you can head downstairs.” Grimmjow watched the teen pull a collection of clothes from the closet before opening the door and shuffling out. With a yawn of his own, the hollow rose and simply grabbed his jacket, shrugging it on before shuffling back down the stairs. 

At the bottom of the stairs, Isshin shuffled past carrying a steaming mug in his hand. The liquid was dark with a strongly bitter smell. While instinct told Grimmjow bitter meant bad, he was curious. If a human could safely consume something with such an aroma, then surely it was safe. Coming to the bottom of the stairs, he jutted his chin in the direction of the mug in Isshin’s hand. “Wha’s that?”

“Hmm? Coffee. Wakes me up so I can work.” Isshin barely regarded Grimmjow as he stepped into the kitchen and began cooking up a fast meal. With three teens to feed, there was quite a lot of food to be made, and not much time to make it in. “Mugs are above the sink in the cabinet if you want to try some. It’s hot, though, so don’t burn yourself.”

Next to the sink was a contraption holding more of the dark liquid and clearly keeping it hot based on the faint curls of steam Grimmjow could see coming from the pot. Curious about the drink, he pulled out a mug and filled it halfway before bringing it up to sniff it more closely. The warmth that leached through the mug to his hands was kind of nice, even warmer than Ichigo had been when he’d woken up that morning. The drink had a complicated aroma, similar in a way to tea but also worlds apart. Cautiously, he took a sip and flinched. It was indeed quite hot, and he had burned the tip of his tongue. 

“Blow gently across the top of the mug, it’ll help. Or you can add some milk to it.” Ichigo’s voice almost made Grimmjow spill the half full mug as the teen walked past him to grab a mug of his own. “Milk will change the flavor and dilute it some, though. I like it that way, Dad drinks his with sugar in it. The sugar bowl is next to the coffee pot.” He watched the clearly more awake teen fill his own mug most of the way before pulling a carton from the tall appliance that spread a chill into the room. Grimmjow eyed Ichigo curiously, paying careful attention to the white liquid that was poured into the coffee in the teen’s mug and how it lightened the drink considerably. And being so close, he could see the dampness clinging to ginger hair and darkening it a little. He tried another sip of the coffee as a distraction from Ichigo and found the strong taste was pretty good. With a shake of his head as the milk was offered to him, Grimmjow emptied his mug and filled it fresh before leaving the cooking area before it could get more crowded. 

The morning only got more hectic, with the girls rushing to get ready and eat with their father and brother, followed by all three children hurrying out the door to school. Left in the silence, Grimmjow nursed the last of his coffee quietly. He had a feeling he and Isshin needed to have a long talk, but he wasn’t excited by the thought. Talking wasn’t his strong suit, it was one of the reasons he hadn’t objected to Harribel becoming the new official ruler of Hueco Mundo. As quiet as she was, talking things through and getting others to listen were things she could excel at when needed. Her still loyal and surviving fraccion was proof of that. They’d all agreed early on that Starrk was too damn lazy for the role, and no one wanted Nel or Szayel in charge.

Pouting himself another cup of coffee, Grimmjow sat at the table again. Looking across at Isshin, he forced himself to stay relaxed. “I imagine you wanna have a chat with me, yeah?”

On the other side of the table, Isshin, nodded. “I do. I understand that you and my son need to stick with each other to keep your bond. But I don’t want a free-loader. Now, you will work with Kisuke to get a body that will let you blend in, and you will get a job. I’m not asking that you put your paychecks to the household income, you should save it for your and Ichigo’s future. If he decides to stay in the world of the living and age like a human, you two will need to have a life of your own. If he decides to go and be a shinigami, well, you two will need to work that out yourselves. But you’re not just going to sit here and take up space.”

Growling softly, Grimmjow sipped his coffee as he contemplated Isshin’s words. Ultimatums pissed him off, but he understood the reason for it. “Fine. I ain’t workin’ for that nutjob, though. No telling what shit he’d want me to do.”

“Yeah, Kisuke is like that.” Isshin snickered and flashed Grimmjow a smile. “I’ve got no problem with you and Ichigo sparring regularly, but he does still have schoolwork to do, too. Hell, maybe I’ll even spar with you. I’ve gotten out of practice, Grand Fisher’s the first hollow I’ve killed in just over twenty years.”

“About that,” Grimmjow knocked back the rest of his coffee and leveled a look at Isshin. “Think I remember hearin’ about you before, back when I was just moving past being a Gillian. Why’d you give up a cushy job like bein’ a captain?”

Isshin glanced over at the poster on the wall for a long moment. When he turned back to look at Grimmjow, he pushed up his left sleeve to show scars that were shaped vaguely like letters. “Only humans get letters on their wrists, Quincies are part of that group. I’d been heading up patrols of this town, following up on reports of frequent hollow activity as well as Quincies being in the area. Couple hundred years ago, when I was just a little tyke, Soul Society declared war on the Quincy race. They’re a threat to the balance of souls, and as mortals, bred much faster than Shinigami. When a Quincy kills a hollow, the soul is completely obliterated and fully removed from reincarnation. So any concentrations of Quincy activity after that first war required monitoring. Turns out the activity here was from three teens. Two boys and a girl who was new to the area. She was in an arranged marriage to one of the other boys, despite not having each other’s initials on their wrists. And I’d been hiding for a good year and a half at that point the letters MK on my own wrist. 

“When I met the three teens, the girl had IS on her wrist. My surname at the time was Shiba, so it fit. First time we touched, her eyes lit up like a freshly lit match. I was a goner from that moment on.” Isshin paused, lost in the memory of his first real meeting with his own soul mate. “I got to know the kids, got along with them and the higher ups in Soul Society trusted me to make sure they weren’t fucking up the balance. Then a really strong hollow came, one that the kids went after without me. Masaki...it infected her with its reiatsu. It was more than just toxic to her, it was consuming her. Imagine if your own hole were to start growing steadily, swallowing you into nothingness. Ryuuken and Toshiya-kun rushed her to Kisuke, I’d made sure they knew he was someone they could trust. He discovered that the reiatsu of a shinigami could hold back the toxic hollow reiatsu, but it had to be a constant application. Someone had to be willing to sacrifice their power to keep her alive. At that point, I understood the gravity of having her initials on my wrist. And yeah, she was only seventeen, just like Ichigo is now, but I was falling hard and fast for her. I didn’t hesitate. I told her I would give my reiatsu to keep her alive and safe.”

Grimmjow didn’t know what to say at first. He had a hard time imagining that kind of sacrifice, but then he remembered when Shawlong had asked him to consume their group and use their power to grow stronger. Shifting in his seat, he picked idly at a spot on the table. “That’s where it comes from, isn’t it? Ichigo’s hollow powers?”

Leaning back in his seat, Isshin crossed his arms and nodded. “They’re tied inextricably with his shinigami powers. And thanks to Toshiya-kun and Ryuuken’s son, he’s also starting to learn to access what Quincy powers he inherited from his mother. She wasn’t much for the typical archery, her specialty tended toward being a brawler. It’s a skill called Blutvein, allowed her to channel her reiatsu into punches and kicks. Watching her fight was like watching a dancer, albeit a deadly one. Ichigo has so much of her in him, sometimes it’s almost like she never died.”

The air between them was heavy, and Grimmjow didn’t quite know what to say. He wondered if the scars on Isshin’s wrist happened when she died, or if it was self-inflicted to not see the two letters any more. “Your wrist... is it ‘cause she died?”

Isshin traced the scars with his right hand. “Yeah. This is what happens to a soul mate mark when one person dies. Their initials turn to scars on the survivor’s wrist. I knew Masaki was gone before the police showed up to tell me. They knew it, too, but protocol is protocol. And they needed to tell me what hospital Ichigo had been taken to. I still think he blames himself for her death some days.” The man’s eyes glanced over at the clock over the door connecting the clinic to the house. “I need to go open the clinic. Go talk to Kisuke about a body. He’s never done gigais for an arrancar before, I’m sure he’ll jump at the challenge.”

As Isshin disappeared behind the door to the clinic, Grimmjow contemplated his options. He knew that Ichigo would be meeting him at the shop after school, so was there a point in avoiding the place? Rinsing out his mug, he might be a hollow but he didn’t have to be a complete asshole, he put his boots back on and took off.

Halfway across town, Grimmjow slid open the door to Urahara’s shop roughly before stalking in. “Oi, panhandler, where are you?”

“My, my, Arrancar-kun. You really ought to work on your manners.” A lazily amused voice chirped from behind Grimmjow, making him spin around. From behind a folding fan, he could hear the smirk in Urahara’s voice as the blond spoke. 

“Need a body. Or some way to blend in with the dumb humans.” Trying not to let the former captain see how unnerved he was at being crept up on, Grimmjow did his level best to seem as casual as possible.

Snapping his fan shut, Urahara’s voice grew cold as he arched a judgmental eyebrow at the former espada. “And why would I do that for you?”

“To make Ichigo happy. He an’ I are connected, after all. And if I can blend in and pass for mortal, he’ll probably be thrilled.” Doing his best to sound casually put upon, Grimmjow fought against the urge to squirm under Urahara’s stare. 

“So you’re the one Ichigo was keeping all secretive~.” A woman’s voice floated through the room from the living area of the shop. “Kisuke won’t make you a body for free, you know.”

Internally, Grimmjow groaned. He’d worried about that. “What do you want as payment?”

Ushering the hollow toward his living room, Urahara grinned merrily. “Oh, I have plenty of ideas. Shall we discuss price, Arrancar-kun?”


	6. Chapter 6

Hours late, by the time Ichigo arrived after classes, Grimmjow was ready to climb the walls. Urahara had merely wanted to study him, and had apparently already been working on an alternative to a gigai. He said it wouldn’t take much to modify it for an arrancar, though it was initially meant for a shinigami. But after being poked and prodded at for the bulk of the day, the former espada was at his limit. Growling at the ginger, he nearly ripped the cover to the basement off. “Get out of your body and get ready to fight.” Without another word, Grimmjow leapt down into the training space in the basement. 

Following behind Grimmjow, Ichigo left Kon in his body and went down into the basement. As he began to go through a series of stretches to warm up, he looked curiously at his soulmate. “Rough day?”

Growling, Grimmjow just rolled his shoulders and drew Pantera. He’d never seen Ichigo with two blades before, but he wasn’t about to be intimidated. “Damn right it was. Now, you promised me a fight, so stop makin’ excuses.” Without any further warning, he charged forward. 

Ichigo barely managed to dodge Pantera, the force of the blade slicing through the air where he had been was enough to put a tear in his kosode. Retreating to a temporarily safe distance, he drew both halves of Zangetsu just in time to block an attack that would have split his gut open. Grimmjow growled in irritation, though deep down he was glad this wasn’t an easy fight. He wanted a challenge, after all. Dancing backward, he gathered his reiatsu in his palm. A cero ought to get the brat moving and taking this seriously. 

As the blast of energy headed for him, Ichigo shunpoed out of the way and countered with a getsuga. The slice of energy was deep black with red on the edges, clearing coming more from his hollow and shinigami powers. A wise use of sonido had Grimmjow safe from the attack, only to need to dodge the thrusting of a short sword right through where his kidney happened to be. Damn brat had gotten faster, and he idly wondered if it had anything to do with the black straps crossing Ichigo’s arms and chest before vanishing under his clothing. Those were new, too. But this was hardly the time to dwell on fashion. 

Bringing Pantera up, Grimmjow used his best sonido to get inside the range of Ichigo’s large blade. Sure, the small blade was new, but he was confident in his speed and ability to dodge. Surprising the teen, he slashed across the hybrid’s stomach. Both layers of the shinigami kosode split, and a shallow cut began to drip blood as Grimmjow used his sonido to retreat before Ichigo could retaliate. He frowned at how little red was coming from the boy, he thought he had cut deeper than that.

Looking down at his stomach, there was an uncanny smirk on Ichigo’s face as the skin knit itself back together almost right away. When he looked back up, his eyes were no longer burning copper on vivid white. Instead they were glowing gold shining out of a void of black. “Oh, is that how you want to play it?” Bringing his hand in front of his face, Ichigo pulled down from his forehead to his chin. In the wake of the motion of his fingers, a bone white mask with dangerous horns and black streaks appeared over his face.

A bloodthirsty grin appeared on Grimmjow’s face as he looked at the latest evolution of Ichigo’s mask. The horns sat at the edges, right in front of the teen’s temples. Jutting out to the sides for a few inches, the horns then curved back and pointed forward dangerously. Grimmjow knew if he got close enough, they could do some serious harm to him. “Now that’s what I’m talking about. Ready to pull out your bankai, too?” 

A low and angry growl rumbled from behind the mask hiding Ichigo’s face. “Only if I have to. If you’re really lucky, you’ll even get me to start using what I can of my Quincy powers.”

Curling his fingers into claws, Grimmjow raked his nails along the flat of Pantera’s blade. Releasing his resureccion, he rolled his neck and smirked. “Oh, you’ll be desperate to show me your new tricks in a minute. I ain’t here to dick around.” Grimmjow felt his armored tail lash behind him before he moved.

Blades and claws clashed loudly, shockwaves of energy spreading clouds of dust and pebbles through the basement. Moving as far back as he could, Ichigo finally relented and called upon his bankai. The remnants of his fullbring made themselves known as his hands now appeared to be covered in black gloves and the crossing straps moved to the outside of his more fitted sleeves. Even Zangetsu had changed, though it did still hold the form of a single sword again. Now it was primarily white with a stripe of black in the center. No longer the slender nodachi it used to be, the sword was wide, even more than Ichigo’s original shikai had been. A chain ran from the pommel of the blade all the way up to near the tip, allowing the hybrid to swing the sword like a flail.

Crouching on the top of a tall rock, Grimmjow let out a pleased growl. He knew the boy could, and would, grow in the time since their last fight. This advancement was just what he had hoped for when he’d been thinking of their next fight, and his fangs gleamed in the artificial sunlight of the basement. “Now that’s what I’m talking about.” 

Holding his new bankai in one hand, Ichigo focused his energy between his horns. Slowly, a ball of energy began to form between the points, glowing red and black as it grew. Letting the ball loose, he launched a cero at the rock Grimmjow was perched on. The arrancar dodged at the last moment, leaving his spot just in time for that boulder to be obliterated. 

With reiatsu focused under his feet to stand on, Grimmjow smirked. Jerking his elbow up, a series of small crystals launched in Ichigo’s direction. He’d used them on the teen before, back when they had truly been enemies, and the boy had survived. Now that they were both stronger, he was curious to see if Ichigo would dodge any this time. 

Rather than attempt to outrun the highspeed bombs, Ichigo launched another getsuga. The crystalline bombs met the dark energy in mid-air, causing a percussive explosion that was no doubt heard and felt upstairs. Using the dust from the crystals as cover, Ichigo sprang toward Grimmjow in an attempt to slice the arrancar in half.

Grimmjow and Ichigo traded blows for almost half an hour before they were both on the verge of collapsing. Both of them had reverted back to their basic blades, and Ichigo’s mask had crumbled to just one horn. Leaning on Pantera as the tip was embedded in the dirt, Grimmjow spat out a mouthful of blood and fragments of teeth. “Call it a draw for today?”

Ichigo had abandoned his short sword, letting the large half of Zangetsu support his weight. “Yeah...sounds fair. Hot spring?” The last horn from his mask started to disolve, beginning at the tip and working toward his forehead. 

Nodding, Grimmjow pulled Pantera from the ground. With a flick of his hand, the excess blood on the blade spattered onto the ground before the blade was slid into its sheath. “Lead the way.”

Picking up his short sword, Ichigo wobbled a little as he sheathed both halves of his blade. After taking a moment to orient himself presumably, the teen used what was left of his energy to shunpo toward the spring. Within moments, Grimmjow was hot on his heels. 

At the edge of the hotspring sat two baskets and clean towels. Unbuckling his belts, Grimmjow laid Pantera on the ground and began to strip out of what was left of his clothing. Dropping his jacket and shirt into the basket, he contemplated sneaking back to Hueco Mundo later for a fresh change of clothing. From the corner of his eye, he saw Ichigo stripping sloppily, uncovering gashes and bruises he hadn’t seen under the black clothes. Kicking off his boots and stripping out of his mostly ruined pants, Grimmjow dropped his boxers into the basket with the rest of his clothes before slipping into the water. 

The steam rolling off the pool belied how hot it really was. Hissing as his skin was nearly scaled, Grimmjow felt his skin knitting back together as he relaxed against the edge. He felt waves lapping up at his neck when Ichigo slipped in, causing him to crack an eye open to look at the teen. Maybe it was just the steam, or the loss of blood, but he’d never really looked at Ichigo properly before. The teen was actually quite handsome, sharp featured with sun kissed skin. Even his trademark hair, though damp with sweat and water from the spring, almost seemed to glow in the artificial light. 

“You’re staring.” Ichigo’s voice, despite being heavy with exhaustion, also had a judgemental edge to it. “Is my head still bleeding or something?”

“Nah.” Grimmjow had to clear his throat, not realizing how husky his voice would sound. “You aren’t bleeding still.” He wasn’t sure how he would tell the teen what he had thought. Humans normally had more rituals regarding attraction and acting on it. And he didn’t know enough about soulmates to know if that changed things much. Forcing himself to close his eyes again, he sank under the water for as long as his lungs could manage.

When Grimmjow surfaced, he felt Ichigo’s eyes tracking him. “What?” Sweeping his hair out of his face, the arrancar arched an eyebrow and moved closer in the water. 

Color tinted Ichigo’s cheeks, and it wasn’t clear if it was from the heat or from Grimmjow’s proximity. “I was just thinking, we should have some guidelines. Or at least clear expectations of what our...relationship, I suppose, will be.”

Grimmjow nodded at that and leaned back against the rocks again, now closer to Ichigo than he’d been to start with. “I’m assumin’ most soulmates end up in romantic and sexual relationships, yeah?” At Ichigo’s nod, he shrugged and let himself relax into the water a little more. “Romance ain’t something I get much, and I’m gonna guess sex is out of your experience. Hell, you know I’m an impulsive bastard. I’m gonna fuck up at times ‘cause feelings aren’t something I had much of before Aizen. And I’m still workin’ on them. So you gotta tell me when I fuck up. Deal?”

A happy smile spread over Ichigo’s lips, striking Grimmjow dumb momentarily. “I can do that. I’m not perfect either, you know. If I say or do something that upsets you, you have to tell me, too. You’re right about sex, though. I mean, I never even had a chance to decide if I was into guys or girls before I was eyeball deep in Soul Society’s war, and then dealing with the scars it’s left me with. I’ve never even kissed anyone before, let alone done more than that. So be patient with me? I’m not against that kind of relationship with you, I mean, have you seen yourself?”

Grimmjow couldn’t help grinning at the compliment, and the way Ichigo’s cheeks darkened after saying it. “Yeah, like you haven’t been beatin’ people off with sticks. I remember how Inoue looked at you, even though the two of you aren’t together now. If it wasn’t for the business with initials, she’d still think the sun rises and sets on you, I’m sure. But I can be patient.” Ichigo snorted at that, and Grimmjow splashed him in retaliation. “I can totally be patient! Waited two years before coming to fight you, didn’t I? What I’m saying is, you set the pace you want, I’ll work with you.”

Ichigo’s expression softened into what Grimmjoww could only guess was gratitude. All he knew was that the teen’s eyes were a particularly vibrant shade of amber, and he almost felt the urge to look away. “I really appreciate that, Grimmjow. I have therapy like yesterday once a week, and then tomorrow I have Quincy training with Ishida and Toshiya-sensei. Fridays and weekends are pretty open for sparring or hanging out, so long as you leave me with time to do homework.”

“I can do that. Yer dad told me I need ta get a job, but I don’t want to work for the psycho upstairs. Gonna have to figure out where I can work without a real identity.” Grimmjow’s grin softened into a smile as he let his eyes close. “We need to talk to your dad about getting a new bed, too. Yours is small as fuck. I mean, it’ll do, but not long term.”

Yawning loudly, Ichigo stretched and dragged himself out of the pool. “I’ll talk to him about it tonight. Ideally I want to keep my desk, so a queen sized would probably be fine. Pretty sure that would have enough space for us to minimize skin contact in the summer so we don’t overheat. The house gets really hot and humid, and fans only do so much.” Slowly pulling the remains of his uniform back on, he looked back at Grimmjow. “Ready to go? Yuzu will have dinner ready soon, and I have a math test to study for.”

Groaning in disappointment, Grimmjow heaved himself out of the water. He took a few moments to dry off before dressing again. “Maybe the psycho will have his new gadget done for me when we get upstairs.”

“Is it in place of a gigai?” Resheathing his swords, Ichigo looked curious at the prospect.

“Yeah, supposed to be a ring instead of the whole fake body.” Shaking the few drops of water from his hair, Grimmjow started walking toward the ladder.

By the time the pair made it up the ladder, Kon was getting antsy in Ichigo’s body. As the two switched places, the ginger groaned and rolled his neck to deal with the sore muscles from his body being mostly in one position for a while. Kisuke came out from his back room, trailed by a cloud of smoke as he grinned. “Arrancar-kun, what timing.”

Grimmjow growled at Kisuke, narrowing his eyes. “I’ve got a name, jackass.”

Ignoring the comment, Kisuke grabbed Grimmjow’s left wrist and slid a ring onto his thumb. “Ah, works perfectly. Yoruichi, would you mind terribly bringing a mirror?”

Sauntering into the room, the dark skinned woman handed Grimmjow a mirror. “I’m impressed, Kisuke. It really does work.”

Looking at Ichigo, Grimmjow could see shock on the teen’s face. Holding the mirror up, he suddenly understood. He no longer had the estigma under his eyes, and the mask on the right side of his face was completely gone. “What the fuck?” His hand touched his cheek, trying to feel the bone. Instead he felt soft skin. It was almost unnerving. 

“Hat and clogs, you’ve outdone yourself.” Ichigo’s voice was almost soft as he admired Grimmjow. The look in his eyes was clearly impressed, thought the hollow wasn’t sure if he was right about the hint of hunger darkening the ginger’s caramel eyes. “And anyone will be able to see him? Not just spiritually sensitive?”

“That is the theory, Kurosaki-kun.” Whipping out his fan, Kisuke hid his smile behind it coyly. “Please do give me at least a day’s warning before you wish to spar again. I’ll need the time to prepare and fix everything that’s broken.”

“For now, Ichigo-kun needs to head home. Otherwise, Isshin’s going to call and pitch a fit.” Leaning on the doorframe, Yoruichi smirked playfully. “And unless you want to deal with that, we ought to send these ones home.”

Pulling his eyes away from Grimmjow’s face, Ichigo checked his watch and swore. “Shit, Yoruichi is right. We need to get going.”

“Yeah, fine, whatever.” Scoffing, Grimmjow shoved his hands in his pockets. It was weird, wearing the ring on his thumb. While his face felt lighter, he almost felt heavier all over. Maybe it was due to the artificial nature of what the band of metal did for him.


	7. Chapter 7

Leading the way home, Ichigo kept quiet. He kept stealing glances at Grimmjow, and the arrancar noticed that the ginger wasn’t the only one. Everyone they passed looked oddly at him. All the looks made him suddenly wonder where Pantera was, and he moved a hand desperately to his left hip. His belts were still there, but the blade wasn’t. Grimmjow saw Ichigo watching him from the corner of his eye. “Pantera will still be there when you take the ring off. It’s like me being in my body, no one sees Zangetsu, but they are still there. But obviously people can see you, I can see them looking at you.”

The teen’s words were soothing, and Grimmjow was able to relax a little because of them. Though the comment about random strangers being able to see him did make the arrancar smirk. “What’s the matter? Gettin’ jealous already?”

“Tch, no. Just proving that the ring works.” Ichigo turned away and shoved his hands into the pockets of his uniform jacket, shrugging the strap of his book bag up higher. 

A smirk grew on Grimmjow’s face. “You are jealous. Fuckin’ hell, we only found out about being soulmates yesterday, you’re already gettin’ jealous about randos lookin’ at me.”

“Shut up.” Ichigo growled out the words, walking a little faster and hunching his shoulders to hide his blush.

Grimmjow cackled, increasing his stride to keep up with the teen. “And you’re embarrased about it! Shit, kid, that’s funny.” It was almost edging on sweet, but admitting that was a step too far too soon. 

It seemed as though Ichigo chose to ignore Grimmjow for the rest of their walk home. Upon entering the Kurosaki household, there was a loud shout as Isshin attempted to attack the teen again. Once he recovered from his son’s attack, the man had a gleam in his eye as he charged at the hollow. With wide eyes, Grimmjow clotheslined Isshin and sent the doctor slamming to the ground. “The fuck was that for?!”

Before anyone could answer him, Isshin picked himself up and rushed over to the massive poster on the wall. “Masaki! Our son has finally found his soulmate! We have a second son now!”

“Dad! Shut up!” Ichigo’s face was bright red as he dropped his school bag on the couch. “Seriously, could you be more embarrassing?”

“Don’t challenge him, Ichi-nii.” Karin’s voice was faintly amused as she worked on setting the table. “Hollow-san, you look different.”

“It’s Grimmjow, brat. And the psycho shopkeep came up with some shit that means I don’t need a full fake body. Means normal humans can see me, and yer brother is in denial about bein’ jealous over other people checkin’ me out.” Smirking, Grimmjow ruffled the girl’s hair as he meandered to the kitchen. Looking over the top of the other twin’s head, he took a whiff of what was in the pot in front of her. “Smells good. What is it?”

Yuzu jumped a little in surprise before tilting her head back to look up at Grimmjow. “Grimmjow-san, you startled me! You look quite different without the bone on your face.” Beaming at him, she turned back to the pot she was stirring. “It’s hayashi pork over rice. There’s more than enough for you to have some, if you want. Oni-chan’s appetite can vary, so I always try to make enough for seconds and leftovers to make sure he doesn’t go hungry.”

“Speaking of, I’m absolutely starving. Grimmjow and I sparred for a while, and the cafeteria was pretty picked over so lunch was lighter than I wanted it to be.” The teen smiled at his sister as he washed his hands in the kitchen sink. “Grimmjow, wash your hands before dinner.” Stepping away from the sink, he left the water running as he dried his hands. “Yuzu, dinner smells great. The extra dishes are in the top cabinet next to the fridge, yeah?”

Smiling at her brother, Yuzu nodded. “Yes, they should be up there. We should get Grimmjow-san his own set of dishes, or a new set of guest dishes.” Turning back to the humanized hollow, she offered a small dish of sauce to him. “Want to taste test it?”

Grimmjow took the tiny dish and sniffed it cautiously. It smelled delightful, and the girl didn’t seem to have any ill will to her. Tilting the dish, he let the thick sauce run onto his tongue. The explosion of flavors was like nothing the hollow could recall having ever experienced before and he wanted more. Before he realized it, he had licked the dish clean. Stopping abruptly as he felt he was being watched, he handed the dish back to Yuzu. “Tasty.”

Behind him, he could hear Karin and Ichigo snickering at him. Yuzu, on the other hand, just beamed up at him. “Then make sure you wash your hands. I’ll be dishing it up soon.”

Since he was apparently not going to get out of the whole washing up thing, Grimmjow just sighed and did as he was told. If it meant that he would get to have more of that wonderful sauce, and with meat mixed in, it was a small price to pay. Once he was done, the water was turned off and he dried his hands on the same towel he had seen Ichigo use. 

Within minutes, the family of four and Grimmjow were sitting around the table for dinner. Not having any knowledge of table manners, he watched what the family did and copied to the best of his ability. Halfway through the meal, Isshin looked over at him. “So I see Kisuke was able to get you a body quite quickly. Do I owe him for that?

Shaking his head, Grimmjow took a drink of water before replying. “Ain’t a body, just this ring.” Holding up his left hand, he pointed at the simple band around his thumb. “And you don’t owe him shit, already paid for it by letting him run tests on me to make sure it would work. Spent the day bein’ poked and prodded by that weirdo.”

“Wow, just that instead of a whole body?” Isshin let out a low whistle as he looked at the simple metal on Grimmjow’s hand. “Maybe I should trade up?”

“Not worth it, Dad. Who knows what he’ll charge you.” Karin shook her head and sighed. “It’s not like he taught me how to access what I inherited from you for free. I lost count of the number of times I had to stock the shelves while Ururu-chan and the little shit head just sat and watched.”

“Karin, you shouldn’t talk about Jinta-kun like that. He’s a very nice boy.” Yuzu scolded her sister before tugging her sleeve over her wrist.

Grimmjow noticed the hard look that came over Ichigo’s eyes at that simple motion. “You got your initials, didn’t you? What are they, Yuzu?”

“That’s private, Onii-chan.” A bright blush covered the girls face, making Grimmjow realize just how like her brother she was. 

Ichigo leaned forward, pointing at her with his chopsticks. “I showed you both mine when I got it. I think I’m more than owed some reciprocity.”

“Well, I’m not afraid to show mine off. I know who it is, even.” With an imperious tone to match her smirk, Karin pulled the sweatband on her left wrist down to show the lettering there. In prominent lettering written by a sure hand were the letters H.T. “Obviously, It’s Toshiro. So I just need to find a way to get in touch with him again.”

“Ah, it’ll be a treat to have Shiro-chan in the family. I just hope he starts growing soon, or the two of you will get a lot of odd looks in a couple years.” Isshin beamed brightly at Karin, patting her on the head before swiping a bit of meat from her bowl.

“Thief! That’s mine!” Shrieking, Karin nearly leapt out of her chair to attack her father, Grimmjow did his best to hold back a laugh as he watched, noticing the lack of reaction from Ichigo and Yuzu. 

Leaning in closer to Ichigo, Grimmjow pitched his voice low enough to be drowned out by Karin dramatically stealing the meat from Isshin’s dinner. “It always this lively around here?”

“Usually, yeah. And you may as well get used to Dad attacking you when you walk in the door. He’s started doing it to Chad since he comes over pretty often.” Picking up his bowl, Ichigo held it out of the way of his father.

“He’s the tall one that fed ya yesterday, yeah?” Following Ichigo’s lead, Grimmjow growled ominously when Isshin attempted to steal his food instead. 

Nodding and snorting at the way his father flinched back, Ichigo dished himself more rice. “Yep. He hasn’t got any family in Japan, just a few distant relations in Mexico, I think. Inoue has some relatives up north, but she’s managed to stay here and raise herself like Chad’s done for himself. They’re both pretty much unofficial family members, and they know Dad would never turn them away no matter what time they might come knocking.” 

Despite the chaos of the meal, Grimmjow had to admit he was impressed. Knowing that he was not the only one to be welcomed into the fold so easily was reassuring in a way. It gave him more of a reason to trust that it wasn’t just because he was Ichigo’s soulmate, and more because they saw him as someone who needed them. He’d sooner cut his own head off than admit it, but it was nice having that sense of belonging. He hadn’t had it since losing Shawlong and the others. “Do they drop in much?”

“Nah, they’re pretty independent. But Chad likes to come over sometimes if it’s a holiday in Mexico. We don’t know them much, but we try for him.” Shrugging, Ichigo looked at Grimmjow’s empty bowl. “Want more?”

The food had been amazing, and since he hadn’t fed for a while he was still quite hungry. Handing his bowl over for being refilled. “That’s damn decent of you. I take it he speaks Spanish, then?”

Ichigo filled the bowl with rice and the pork mix before handing it back to Grimmjow. “He does. He’s taught me a little bit, and Zangetsu helps translate it some. But if you’re fluent, he’d probably love to have someone to chat with. It was his first language, after all.”

Taking the bowl, Grimmjow started shoving food into his mouth. Between bites, he took a drink of tea. “So, how long have you known him? Wanna know how much blackmail I can get on ya.” 

Sitting back down, Karin snickered. “If you want the best blackmail on Ichi-nii, you should go to Tatsuki. She’s known him longer than any of his other friends. They used to be in Karate together back when Mom was alive.”

“Chad moved here when we were thirteen. So he and I have been friends for about four years. He used to get bullied a lot for being mixed race, but he wouldn’t stand up for himself because of a promise he made to his grandfather. I stood up for him, and told him that I’d fight his bullies if he’d help me out with mine.” A fond look crossed Ichigo’s face as he recalled the meeting. “We’ve been best friends since then, and it’s one of the reasons why we fight so well together. Even once I became a Shinigami, once his powers developed, we haven’t lost the ability to be in sync in the thick of it.”

Nodding at that, Grimmjow filed the information away for later. It would be interesting to see the two teens fighting together. Finishing his second bowl of food, he laid the chopsticks over the top of the bowl. “Sounds interesting, might have ta watch you two fighting sometime. Fer now, though, got any longer pants I can borrow for the night? You’re too short for me to borrow yours.”

Ichigo glared at him. “I’m not even two inches shorter than you! My pajama pants will fit you just fine.” 

“Then you better have some long pants for me to wear.” Smirking, Grimmjow drank the rest of his tea before getting up from the table. “Where do ya want the dirty dishes? Dunno the correct way for washin’ them, can’t recall ever usin’ dishes before.”

Grinning, Yuzu jumped up from the table since she had also finished eating. “Follow me. We have a dishwasher that we use most of the time, but it’s always best to rinse your dishes first.”

Following the girl’s directions, he put the bowl, chopsticks, and cup in the dishwasher. Standing there awkwardly, he stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned against the counter. “So..what happens now?”

Getting up and putting his own dishes in the dishwasher as well, Ichigo pulled a tall glass from the cupboard and filled it from the sink after letting the cold water run for a little while. “Well, I have homework to do, so I’ll be upstairs in my room at my desk. I have plenty of books you can read if you want to, or you can stay down here and watch tv with Dad and the girls.”

“Most of his books are Shakespeare because he’s a nerd.” Grimmjow couldn’t decide what was more amusing, the way Karin teased her brother or the way Ichigo just stuck his tongue out at her.

Scoffing, Grimmjow meandered over to the couch and plopped himself down. “Dunno much about TV, but even I know about Shakespeare. I’ll take the unknown over that dramatic  _ tonto. _ ”

Ichigo flipped Grimmjow off before picking up his glass. “Shakespeare was not a fool. You just don’t have any taste in literature.” As he headed up the stairs, stopping to grab his bag, Grimmjow caught sight of the teen fighting a smile. 

Once Ichigo was up the stairs, Isshin motioned for Grimmjow to get up. “Before you get too comfy, come with me for a moment.” 

Lifting an eyebrow, Grimmjow rose from the couch. “Alright.” He wasn’t sure what the man wanted, but it was wiser to keep a peaceful atmosphere than to argue. Picking his battles had been a skill he’d learned over the last two years. 

Following Isshin into the master bedroom, he kept quiet until the former shinigami spoke. “Do you think this size bed will be big enough for you and Ichigo to share comfortably?”

Looking at the bed, Grimmjow analyzed the indicated piece of furniture. “Yeah, should be big enough. I take it you’re planning on ordering one soon?”

“Yeah, gonna get the frame and everything ordered tomorrow. You’ll get to put the frame together when it arrives, since Ichigo will be in class, and I’ll be seeing patients.” Isshin smiled and led Grimmjow back to the living room. 

“Eh, as long as there are instructions.” With a shrug, Grimmjow settled back on the couch and put his feet up on the cushioned foot rest. “So, what is the big deal about tv?”

Settling in at his side, Yuzu shamelessly leaned up against him. “It’s entertaining, and sometimes it can be relaxing. Or really emotional. It mostly depends on what kind of show we watch. Karin usually likes to watch sports, Dad likes comedies, and I like variety shows. Since he’s in his last year of high school, Oniichan doesn’t get time to watch TV with us much in the evenings. We take turns having control over the remote.” Holding up the rectangular device, she hit the power button before typing the channel number. 

Having heard everything that Yuzu had said, Grimmjow just looked down at her blandly. “You’re not the least bit afraid of me, are you.”

“Nope!” Grinning up him, Yuzu just tucked her legs under her and turned her attention to the TV.

Grimmjow just sighed and relaxed into the couch, doing his best to seem exasperated and resigned. In reality, he was enjoying it. Despite common belief, hollows were not emotionless monsters. In fact, they felt too much all at once. Even though a human heart did not physically control emotions, it did provide a psychologically stabilizing influence. Without that, emotions were just too overwhelming. Everything was always at an extreme, whether the emotion was positive or negative. It also meant that the craving for contact with others was like a gnawing hunger always in his mind. Knowing that he now had a soulmate who seemed to like touching him, as well as Yuzu being totally unafraid of him. 


	8. Chapter 8

Several hours later, Grimmjow climbed the stairs to Ichigo’s room. Entering the room, he saw the teen head down and focused. On the bed was a pair of dark pajama pants, looking well worn and comfortable. Grabbing them up, he changed quietly out of respect. Once he was done, he sat on the bed and awkwardly cleared his throat. “So...how late are you stayin’ up?”

Ichigo jumped a little bit, before putting his pen down. Looking at the clock on the desk, amber eyes widened. “Shit, it’s that late? Um, I should actually get ready for bed now. Got school tomorrow, so the alarm will go off again in the morning.” 

Growling softly in annoyance, Grimmjow sighed. “How many days of the week do you have that?”

“Usually just five days a week. About once a month there is class on Saturday, though.” Packing his school bag back up, Ichigo stood and stretched. “C’mon, you need to brush your teeth before bed or your breath is gonna reek in the morning.” 

“It’s never been an issue before.” There was a defensive note to Grimmjow’s voice, but he followed Ichigo to the bathroom. The small brush he was handed looked useless, but he obediently began to scrub at his teeth with the substance that was squeezed onto the soft bristles. He hated how little he knew about human habits and culture, it made him feel like an idiot. By the time he spat the remnants of the paste out in the sink, he was growling softly. 

Ichigo stayed silent about the growling as he put his own pajamas on for the night. But when it had only increased by the time the two of them were squeezing into his too small bed, the teen sighed. “Why are you growling?”

The sound stopped instantly, and Grimmjow was very glad it was too dark for Ichigo to see his face. Rather than laying behind the teen, he made Ichigo lay flat on his back before resting over the hybrid’s chest. It had been quite comfortable after the incident the night before, and it would keep Ichigo from scratching the spot on his chest. “I wasn’t growling.”

“I can literally feel you blushing in this position, I know you’re lying.” Ichigo’s voice had a slight tremor to it, and Grimmjow wondered if it was because he had crossed a line. Warm hands didn’t seem to know where to go, though he couldn’t deny it felt quite good to have one settle on the point of his shoulder.

“You know I’m not gonna rip your hands off, right? Just put em’ where you want to.” Changing the subject, Grimmjow did his best to relax. It was very nice to lay with Ichigo the way he was, there were no itches anywhere under his skin, and the steady thump of the teen’s heart was a soothing sound to say the least. 

Ichigo let his hand rest on Grimmjow’s upper arm as the one on the arrancar’s shoulder moved up to comb through silky sky blue locks. “Seriously, though. Did I do something to piss you off? Communication is really important in relationships for humans, and I’m not a mind reader. If something bothers you, you should just say so.”

As amazing as it felt to have his hair played with, a sensation Grimmjow had never felt before, he couldn’t help tensing up at Ichigo’s words. “It’s just...it’s awkward as fuck, okay? All the human shit you and your family do without thinking, like eating and brushing your teeth and shit. I feel like a goddamn idiot for not knowing about that shit. And the fact that you have to teach me all of this is just embarrassing. It’d be so much easier to just go back to Hueco Mundo. You wouldn’t have to waste your time on school shit. Eating low level hollows can be done just by absorbing their energy, you don’t even have to chew ‘em. It ain’t hard ta learn how. You could come back and see your family whenever you want to, the girls ain’t too bad.”

He both heard and felt Ichigo’s breath catch in the silence that followed, and the hand on his upper arm slid up to wrap Grimmjow in a hug. “As awkward as it is for you to be here adapting to human habits, I’d be in the same boat in Hueco Mundo. But you make a good point. It isn’t fair to fully expect you to adapt to my life, without me trying to adapt to yours. I mean, yeah, I still have plans for my future, but I never really thought about how those would change once I met my soulmate. I don’t want to just give up my life here, but you shouldn’t have to fully give up your life, either.” 

Grimmjow snorted softly at that. Leave it to Ichigo to have to find a compromise. “I get that. Shit, if I really was human again, I wouldn’t want to give it up either. This world is so bright and colorful. And the variety of food alone would convert anyone. But I don’t really fit here, and we both know it. This ring might make me look human, but I’m not. I’m never gonna be.”

Ichigo raked his nails lightly along Grimmjow’s scalp, nearly making the arrancar moan at the pleasant sensation. “We need to sit down and find a way to make a balance. Maybe weekends we go to Hueco Mundo? Or some afternoons? I don’t know, but I know that compromise is important. Dad talks a lot about how he and Mom would always work to find common ground when they disagreed on anything. They never had any major arguments that I can remember, and that’s the kind of relationship I want to have.”

Lifting his head, Grimmjow let his chin rest on Ichigo’s chest as he smirked at the teen in the dark. “I’m sorry, have you met either of us? We’re both stubborn, opinionated bastards. We’re gonna argue and fight. But compromise sounds smart, there are already luxuries to being here that I’m not in a hurry to give up.” 

There was a beat of silence before Ichigo burst out laughing, nearly dislodging Grimmjow from his chest in the process. “Yeah, but I’d rather fight with you for fun than because we’re mad at each other. No one else can spar with me on the same level you can, except maybe Kenpachi. But I can’t just drop in on Soul Society on a whim.” Calming back down, Ichigo let out a long yawn before snuggling back into his pillow. “Can we talk more about this tomorrow? I don’t wanna just blow this off, but you make a shockingly good blanket and I’m tired.”

Snorting softly, Grimmjow settled back down on top of Ichigo’s chest, blocking the scar over his heart. “Yeah, we can talk tomorrow. Probably gonna end up at your school mid day if I start itching too much.”

“Lunch is at 12:30, I always eat on the roof unless the weather is bad.” Ichigo’s words were slurred a little as sleep began to pull him under, but Grimmjow filed the information away for the next day. 

By the time the alarm went off, Grimmjow was ready to break the damn thing. He was comfortable, and hadn’t woken up in the middle of the night due to Ichigo’s reiatsu bottoming out or nails trying to gouge into his scalp. Growling petulantly, he rolled off the teen and tried to burrow into the thin blankets on the bed. “Shut that piece of shit up.” 

He felt Ichigo get out of bed, and decided the teen sounded too damn chipper. “Good morning to you, too.” Listening to Ichigo getting dressed behind him, Grimmjow let himself take up more of the bed now that he was alone in it. “You know, we should look into getting you more clothes. That way you don’t have to wear the same thing every day. I may not know much about Hueco Mundo, but I can’t imagine it being sanitary to just wear the same thing all the time there, either.” 

With an irritated growl, Grimmjow threw the covers off himself and got up. He could feel his hair sticking up at odd angles, but couldn’t quite bring himself to care. “Why are you so fuckin’ perky?”

As he tucked his shirt into his school pants, Ichigo stuck his tongue out at Grimmjow. “Last night was the first time in like two years that I’ve slept all the way through the night without being woken up by a nightmare. I can’t remember the last time I felt this well rested.”

“Well yippee for you.” Scratching idly at his cheek, it took Grimmjow a moment to remember that he had the ring on his left hand when he didn’t immediately feel his mask. Looking down at his chest as he shuffled to the kitchen, he was slightly relieved to see the huge scar that Ichigo had given him was still visible, even if it was disconcerting to not see the usual hole in his gut. 

Before he even made it to the coffee maker, a mug full of steaming liquid was thrust into his field of view. “Here. You look like you need this.” The voice was deep, and it took Grimmjow longer than he wanted to admit to recognize that it was coming from Isshin. Grunting in gratitude, he took the mug and started sipping his new favorite drink. 

“Do you want anything for breakfast, Grimmjow-san? I can make you some eggs if you want.” Yuzu’s voice was more cheerful than Ichigo’s had been, something Grimmjow hadn’t known was possible. 

“I don’t think he’s a morning person, Yuzu.” Karin’s voice drawled as a small hand on his arm steered him toward a chair at the table. Not willing to let go of his coffee, he let the girl guide him over and sat down when she nudged him to. 

Ichigo bounding down the stairs seemed unnecessarily loud, but Grimmjow said nothing. He simply continued to sip his piping hot coffee. “What’re eggs?”

Sliding into the seat next to Grimmjow, Ichigo grabbed a piece of toast from a plate already on the table. There was an open jar of jam, and he used the knife sticking out of it to smear a hearty portion of the fruity spread over his toast. “They’re pretty tasty. They come from birds, and have lots of protein, so good for muscle growth.” 

Grimmjow looked over at Ichigo as the teen crunched his toast. “Do I want to know what part of the bird they come from?”

Sparking caramel eyes met blue as Ichigo’s tongue darted out to lick up some jam from the corner of his mouth. Grimmjow knew he probably shouldn’t have been so focused on the pink muscle, but he couldn’t help wondering what it would feel like to have Ichigo’s tongue on his own. “Eh, probably not. Say, how much technology do you have in Hueco Mundo? Is it mostly just your weird science guy who has it all?”

Shaking himself mentally, Grimmjow forced himself to focus on what Ichigo had asked. Knocking back the last of his cup, he got up and went to refill it. “Yeah, Szayel has most of the tech. I have heard of computers, and I kind of know the basics. The psycho showed me how to access somethin’ called the internet yesterday to distract me during some of the tests he was doing to me.” 

“Urahara showed you how to use the internet already? Awesome. I have a computer on my desk in my room. There’s a note inside it with the password, so when you open it you can log in. Feel free to look up anything you want while I’m at school. You can look through any of my books, too. There’s a website you can even go on and watch videos to show you how to do stuff, too.” Ichigo grinned as Grimmjow returned to his seat, taking a plate of eggs from his sister with a smile. 

Sitting at the end of the table, Isshin ate slower than his three children did. Looking across at Grimmjow, he did his best to smile harmlessly. “If I’m not with a patient, you can ask me for help if you need anything, too. The living world is vastly different from Soul Society, so I remember having culture shock when I became a long term resident of this world.”

Feeling more awake now that he was on his second cup of coffee, Grimmjow laughed a little at that. “I’ve only heard stories about Soul Society, but it’s still paradise compared to where I’m from. You at least had sunlight.” 

“So what you’re saying is you’re nocturnal? Yeah...not buying that.” There was a playful gleam in Ichigo’s eyes as he looked over at Grimmjow. “If that were true, you would have been awake when my alarm went off, not growling at it.”

Feeling completely called out, Grimmjow just flipped Ichigo off as he sucked down his second cup of coffee. Once it was gone, he began to pick at the food on the table, having a little bit of everything to see what he liked. Humans really didn’t understand how good they had it, having so many foods to choose from all the time was something he doubted he would tire of any time soon.

Within about half an hour, Ichigo and the girls were off to school, leaving Grimmjow alone with Isshin again. Rising from his chair, the arrancar began to clear the table. While he didn’t really understand the appliance that Yuzu had loaded dishes into the night before, he wasn’t going to be a slob. Isshin thankfully said nothing, just began placing dishes into spots on the racks with familiarity. “I ordered the bed, it’ll arrive tomorrow morning. The mattress and box spring will come tomorrow afternoon along with the necessary bedding.”

Nodding at the words, Grimmjow couldn’t help feeling a bit out of place. “I know I gotta get clothes an’ shit like that. I got some spares back in Hueco Mundo, but it’s just the same damn outfit. Plus, I gotta get papers proving I exist to get a job, right?”

Nodding, Isshin patted Grimmjow on the shoulder. “I assume you at least know what a shower is, right?” When the arrancar nodded, he smiled. “Go take one, I’ll call Kisuke and arrange for an identity to be created for you. And for some ideas about jobs you could do, because I don’t blame you for not wanting to work for him.”

“Told Ichigo I might swing by the school for his lunch hour, but I think I should take a quick trip back to Hueco Mundo first. Before they send any troublemakers lookin’ for me.” Heading for the stairs, Grimmjow stopped and looked over his shoulder at Isshin. “Hey. Thanks, you know, for not tryin’ ta kill me, ‘n shit.”

It was clear from the way his eyes shone that Isshin understood what Grimmjow hadn’t said, the gratitude for not mocking his ignorance and the willingness to show him how to behave. “Keep taking care of my son and we’ll call it even.”


	9. Chapter 9

An hour later, Grimmjow stepped through the garganta onto the shifting sand just outside of Las Noches. Trudging forward, the heels of his boots echoed with every step as he transitioned onto the sleek tile that covered the floors of the half destroyed castle. He could feel the eyes of lower level hollows on him from the shadows, and it made him glad he’d remembered to move the ring he’d been given to his right hand. The weight of his mask on his face was comforting, making him feel armored and ready for anything. Holding his head high, he entered the room that Harribel used to house her throne of bones. “Well this place is as fuckin’ boring as ever.”

The blonde woman at the head of the room narrowed her eyes at Grimmjow. “I didn’t give you permission to go to the living world.”

“Since when have I ever given two shits about permission?” Scoffing, Grimmjow sauntered into the room. There was a table with the other surviving espada seated at it, and he sneered as he saw the only open seat was between Nel and Szayel. Damn Starrk for taking the good seat. Grabbing the chair, he spun it around and sat stradling it just to make Harribel’s eyebrow twitch.

“You stink like humans. We’ve been at peace with Soul Society since the end of the Shinigami’s occupation of our world, so I want to know what was so important that you felt the need to risk that peace for over two days.” Harribel’s voice was sharp, and Grimmjow felt like he was staring into the face of a pissed off shark for a moment. 

Seeing no point in skirting the truth, it never had been his style, Grimmjow showed the two letters on his left wrist. “I was fuckin’ bored. And I was collectin’ on a debt from two years ago. Kurosaki told me if I lived he’d fight me again, so I went to find him. Turns out these letters are his initials. Humans have soulmates, and apparently I’m his. I’ve spent almost the entire past two years with an itch under my skin that I thought was jus’ the need for a good fight. Turns out it was ‘cause of this.”

At his side, Nel’s eyes sparkled happily. “Itsygo is still alive? Is he healthy? Is he coming to visit? We never got to play hide and seek like he said we would.” Her childish nature grated on Grimmjow, and he couldn’t help feeling possessive of the teen. 

Growing at the green haired woman, Grimmjow’s eyes narrowed. “He’s not your pet. Yeah, he’s alive, but he’s not yours. He’s mine.” 

“And does he consent to being yours?” Starrk yawned and laid half on top of the table, looking decidedly uninterested. Which was an absolute lie, considering he was always the first to ask about any possible gossip.

Despite himself, Grimmjow felt almost bashful. “Work in progress. Humans get all complicated about that shit. But it does mean I’m gonna be spendin’ most of my time in the living world. We’re gonna talk about spendin’ time here, too. Keep it equal an’ all. He’s big on that kinda shit.” 

From his other side, Szayel’s smirk was damn near audible. “I never did get a chance to study him before. It could be quite interesting.” 

“So could splatterin’ yer brain all over the wall with a Gran Rey.” The growl in Grimmjow’s voice was far more deadly than the one he’d given to Nel, making it abundantly clear that he would not allow the other male to lay a hand on his mate.

Holding up a hand to keep her fellow espada from fully rioting, Harribel looked at Grimmjow. “Our relationship with the Shinigami is tenuous at best, but Kurosaki was a very important player back in the war. Perhaps garnering his allegiance will help us. The new head captain has stated he wishes to discuss some sort of peaceful agreement between us and the shinigami as a whole. For the sake of our world and continued existence, I feel compelled to oblige him. I have not met this boy, but I know enough of him second hand to see the merit of being in his good graces. Grimmjow, you are free to come and go from the world of the living as you wish. If he is truly tied to you, and you to him, that would be a wise relationship to foster.” 

“And that’s why we picked you to be in charge, Tia.” Starrk stretched his arms out as far as they would go before crossing them under his head again. “Let the kitty play human, maybe it’ll be fun.” 

A weight fell away from Grimmjow’s shoulders as he stood up and pushed his chair in. “Hasn’t sucked too much yet. Though if I don’t wanna cross a former shinigami captain, I gotta get a human job.” Wrinkling his nose at the thought, he turned and began to head out of the room.

Harribel’s eyebrows both shot up as she looked at Grimmjow’s back. “What?”

Turning around once more, Grimmjow kept moving toward the door without looking at where he was going. “Yeah. Turns out Kurosaki’s father was Captain Shiba, the one who went missin’ about twenty human years ago. He had a soulmate, too. A Quincy woman.” 

“You’re saying the child who fought the intruder Aizen to a standstill, who killed Ulquiorra, is the offspring of a shinigami and a Quincy?” Even Starrk was sitting properly upright and attentive as Harribel stood from her seat. The incredulity in her voice just made Grimmjow smirk.

“And he’s got a hollow in him, too. It’s part of his shinigami powers.” It was a rare treat to get to shock his fellow espada to the core, and Grimmjow would be happy to admit how much he was enjoying it. As he reached the doorway to the throne room, he gave a sarcastic salute with two fingers before using his sonido to head to his quarters.

Once in his room, Grimmjow grabbed one of his old pairs of hakama from his old uniform to convert into a makeshift bag. It was messy, and would not be able to last long. But that was fine, it didn’t need to last very long at all. It only had to get as far as Ichigo’s bedroom, after all.

Shoving some clean clothes into the center, he tied it all off with his old obi before slinging it over his shoulder. As he exited his room, he felt lighter than he thought he would. Apparently, he hadn’t realized how stressful the thought of confronting the other espada would be. 

Stopping in the hall, he saw Harribel waiting for him. “What now?”

“Please inform Kurosaki he is welcome in our walls whenever he wishes. I will not permit Szayel to harm him or experiment on him, not with as valuable of an ally as he could be.” Her voice was unusually soft, and had it not been for the way her mask hid her mouth he would have thought she might be smiling. 

“I’ll let him know.” Grimmjow couldn’t help showing a small smile of his own to the blonde woman as he walked past her. He respected the hell out of Harribel, it was one of the reasons he hadn’t fought her for the throne. Opening a new garganta, he set it to open in Ichigo’s room and stepped through, closing it behind him. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In my defense, Ichigo's favorite food is indeed chocolate. Also, italics in this chapter are conversations in Spanish.

Once he was back in the world of the living, Grimmjow unraveled the makeshift bag he’d made. Taking out the duplicates of his outfit, he chewed his lower lip for a moment. Making the decision, he opened the lower half of the closet and opened one of the drawers. Shoving Ichigo’s clothing to the side, he packed his clothes into the slot before closing it again. Looking at the clock, he saw that there was still time left before lunch, so he wandered back downstairs. Switching the ring back to his left hand, he walked into the clinic. “Uh, hey, you busy?”

Looking up from his desk, Isshin smiled over at Grimmjow. “No, not at all. Everything alright?” 

“Yeah, it’s all good. Harribel is all for me making things good with Ichigo, I guess Soul Society is thinkin’ of making a treaty or something now that they have new leadership.” Rather than standing awkwardly in the doorway, Grimmjow grabbed a spare stool and sat on it. “Shoulda seen her eyes bug out when I mentioned you and what kinda powers Ichigo has.” 

Isshin cracked up laughing, having to put down his pen to keep from messing up the file he had been working on. “I can’t say I’m overly shocked to hear the treaty bit. Shunsui is a very practical man, and hates fighting for no reason. I’m glad you and my son won’t have any issues coming from your compatriots.”

“Same. I mean, I ain’t worried about beatin’ ‘em, ‘specially with Ichigo on my side. But it would be annoying as fuck.” Snorting in amusement, Grimmjow tried not to look as awkward as he felt. “I know I ain’t doing much to help out here right now, an’ maybe I don’t got a right to ask about this, but I didn’t see Ichi take anything for his lunch, and he said he had a hard time gettin’ enough to eat yesterday. So, I was wondering if -”

Isshin cut Grimmjow off by handing him a folded piece of paper with some money sticking out. “That’s a map from here to his favorite fast food place. They sell burgers, which you’ll probably like. I’ve written down what Ichigo usually gets, don’t forget the dessert, he’s a sucker for chocolate. There should be enough there for you to get plenty to eat as well. You can bring me the change later.”

For a moment, Grimmjow didn’t quite know what to say. Eventually, he huffed softly and gave a somewhat bashful smile. “I’ll pay you back when I get a job.” 

Grinning in response, Isshin turned back to his desk. “I trust you. Besides, I know where you sleep.” Winking playfully, he shooed the arrancar out the door.

The map was actually very useful, and Grimmjow managed to find the restaurant with little difficulty. The hard part had been choosing his own order. Once he’d made up his mind and gotten both meals paid for and in hand, he looked for an inconspicuous place to slip off to. It was doubtful he would be allowed to just walk into the front door of his mate’s school, so going in spirit form would make more sense. While it was a challenge to move his ring to his right hand without setting anything down, Grimmjow was able to manage it. 

By the time he made it to the school, Grimmjow had come up with the idea of using his own reiatsu to maintain the heat of the food in the paper bag he was carrying. If he was right, he was only a few minutes early for Ichigo’s lunch. He even made sure to pause outside the classroom window so the teen knew not to fight the other students to buy food. Once he knew Ichigo saw what he had with him, he went to the roof and waited. 

Shortly after the sound of the bell, there were running footsteps and Ichigo bursting through the door to the roof. Skidding to a stop, he looked down at Grimmjow with wide eyes. “Did you seriously bring burgers?”

“Only for you an’ me.” Grimmjow fought back at laugh at the childish excitement in Ichigo’s eyes as the teen sat next to him and grabbed the bag. He sipped his iced coffee as the ginger pulled out the matcha and chocolate dessert, clearly intent on devouring it first. “You can thank your dad for it later, he’s the one who gave me the money and told me what you would want.”

The blissful look on Ichigo’s face as he used the included plastic spoon to eat the chilled sweet would have made a lesser man jealous. “Yeah, but you’re the one who brought it. Thank you.” Pausing between bites, he flashed Grimmjow a blinding smile.

When that smile was directed at him, Grimmjow couldn’t breathe. It was like he was looking directly into the sun, without the burning pain in his eyes. Forcing himself to look away, he pulled out the burger he’d chosen for himself and started to unwrap it. The door opened and closed again, and he looked up to see Chad, Inoue, and the Quincy. Looking at the tall teen, he deliberately switched to Spanish.  _ “Gonna have to eat your own cooking alone today.” _

_ “Good, I didn’t bring any tamales for Ichigo, anyway. All that I have left is in my freezer.”  _ Chad’s eyes had brightened with something Grimmjow had assumed was excitement as he replied in his mother tongue.

_ “He had any issues today? I’ve learned a bit about the shit his brain pulls on him, but not a lot.” _ Grimmjow crossed his legs, a silent concession to allow others into his personal space. 

Taking the unspoken invitation for what it was, Chad sat down and pulled out a fairly traditionally Japanese looking lunch for himself.  _ “He’s actually been in a really great mood today. Hasn’t scratched at his chest at all, and the teachers are a little weirded out by how much he’s smiling.” _

_ “Considering how annoyingly perky he was when his alarm went off, I ain’t shocked.” _ Grimmjow snorted in amusement, noticing Ichigo had finally finished his dessert and was starting on his own burger. 

“I feel like I should be annoyed that you two are obviously talking about me.” Reaching for the drink that Grimmjow had brought him, Ichigo took the end of the wrapper off the straw before sucking down a good third of the beverage in one go. 

Across from Grimmjow, Chad just laughed. “Yeah, but you had chocolate.”

“Yes I did.” The grin on Ichigo’s face didn’t falter for a moment as he scooted just a little closer to Grimmjow. 

With his own burger fully devoured, Grimmjow crumpled the wrapper and tossed it back in the bag. “Are you always this obnoxiously cheerful on a full night of sleep?”

“Maybe. It’s been too long since I’ve actually had a full night of sleep that I don’t remember. Even before the war, there were hollows that I had to deal with at all hours of the night, so I don’t think I’ve slept as soundly as I did last night since before I met Rukia.” Ichigo shrugged, stuffing the last of his burger into his mouth before leaning against Grimmjow’s side. “I’m glad you came by, though. I was just starting to feel the itch again, and I have a hard test this afternoon, so it’ll be good not to have that as a distraction.”

With a roll of his eyes, Grimmjow leaned forward enough to pull his jacket off. Draping the garment over his lap, he let the full length of his arm press against Ichigo’s. “Apparently tomorrow the new bed arrives. I’ll put it together, you get to deal with the stuff that goes on it.” 

A soft sigh slipped from Ichigo’s lips as he relaxed against Grimmjow. “You mean the sheets and blankets? I can do that. I’ll be late getting home, so feel free to hang out or whatever you want to do with your spare time. Ishida and I are training my quincy powers with Toshiya-sensei.” 

“After he makes sure you didn’t skip school to get your fast food lunch since this is a closed campus.” There was amusement in Ishida’s voice as he calmly ate his own lunch on the other side of Ichigo.

As Grimmjow flipped the Quincy boy off, Inoue suppressed a giggle and looked at Grimmjow. “How are you adjusting to the human world, Grimmjow-san? It’s so different than what you’re used to, but you helped me so much when I was in Las Noches, so I’m happy to answer any questions you might have that Kurosaki-kun or his family haven’t covered.”

Shrugging the shoulder that Ichigo wasn’t leaning on, Grimmjow scratched at his mask idly. “Eh, lot of it’s awkward because it’s shit I ain’t done or worried about before, but I’ll catch on. An’ I made sure there ain’t gonna be issues from the others this morning.”

“You mean the other surviving Espada, right?”

Looking down at Ichigo, Grimmjow smirked. “Yeah. Went to Hueco Mundo to get some spare clothes, talk to Harribel an’ the others. Soul Society is talking about maybe making a treaty with us, an’ bein’ that she’s the queen, Harribel says you’re welcome whenever.” 

“I don’t know that I ever met her, but that’s good to know. I’m glad I won’t cause trouble just by being there.” Ichigo’s eyebrows knitted together for a moment, before he relaxed again and continued to sip the sugary drink in his hand.

Nursing his own cold coffee, Grimmjow let out an amused sound. “Ya didn’t. But she heard about you by reputation, an’ ain’t keen to make an enemy of you. ‘Specially with the new head captain talkin’ about peace between the realms. Harribel seems to think you’ll be a strong ally because Soul Society thinks highly of you.”

A dark look crossed Ichigo’s face, dimming the smile that had nearly blinded Grimmjow not twenty minutes ago. “Heh, I doubt I mean more to them than as cannon fodder. But it’s flattering that someone thinks so highly of me.” 

“It also means she won’t let Szayel try ta mess with you.” Grimmjow bumped Ichigo’s shoulder with his own, he did his best to brighten the teen’s spirits. Perhaps it was just his own nature as a hollow, but it felt wrong in many ways to have his mate showing any sign of distress.

Ichigo did manage to summon a small smile at that, leaning a little more against the arrancar at his side in response. “Well, that’s good to know at least. I’ll have to let her know that I appreciate it.”

Before Grimmjow could reply, the warning bell for the end of lunch rang. “Shit, gotta go. I’ll see you when I get home from training tonight. And thanks again for lunch!” Ichigo quickly got to his feet, flashing a brighter smile again as he headed for the door. Grimmjow gave a nod of acknowledgement before the teen disappeared back into the school. He gathered up the trash and left, dropping it in a random dumpster on the way to Urahara’s shop. 


	11. Chapter 11

About a month later, Grimmjow had a nice job that he enjoyed, and things seemed to be going well for him. He was getting used to the living world, and had even successfully coerced Isshin into a few sparring sessions. It helped that the doctor had been contacted by the new head captain of Soul Society personally. As the arrancar lounged on the couch in the living room of the Kurosaki family home, he flipped idly through channels on the tv. The twins were on a school trip, Ichigo was at a therapy session, and Isshin was attending a captains’ meeting as the new head of the eighth division, leaving Grimmjow home alone. He flipped through a few more channels before the door opened and his mate’s reiatsu flowed into the home. 

Turning off the tv, Grimmjow rose to his feet and moved toward the front door as Ichigo mumbled out a greeting. It wasn’t normal for the teen to be so morose and disheartened, and it worried him. What worried him more is that Ichigo barely looked up at him before trudging up the stairs. Grimmjow followed along silently, not sure what to say or do to make things better. He watched the teen change from the grey and white school uniform into a loose pair of shorts and one of his own shirts. The way the shirt hung off of Ichigo, the collar pulling toward one shoulder more than the other, should not have turned Grimmjow on, he knew. But that was just based on the current situation. “What do you need, Ichi?”

Looking at Grimmjow, Ichigo finally began to cry. Tears crept from his lashes, following tracks down his cheeks that Grimmjow could tell had been dried not that long ago. “Can we...can we just lay down for a while?”

“Yeah, we can do that.” It was obvious that Ichigo wasn’t ready to talk yet, and Grimmjow was alright with that. He’d learned a lot about his mate in the last month, and one of the biggest was that he only talked about what was bothering him on his own terms. Stepping past Ichigo, he went and laid on top of the bed covers and held his arms open for the teen. “C’mere.” 

Without another word, Ichigo joined Grimmjow on the bed, curling up into his arms. As they lay in silence, Ichigo’s frame shook as he cried. After what felt like ages, but was really barely half an hour, the silence was broken. “I’m not disposable, right? Like, my life means something, and I’m more than just convenient?”

Pulling back just a little, Grimmjow tipped Ichigo’s face up so he could look his mate in the eye. “Of course your life means something. Who the fuck told you you’re disposable, I’ll rip their spines out.” His words came out in a growl, the fierce protectiveness he was developing coming to the forefront. 

The shadow of a smile crossed Ichigo’s lips for a moment before he sighed softly. “It was never said to my face, but actions speak louder than words. I tried, for months, I tried. I wrote letter after letter after letter, and Yoruichi was nice enough to take them to Soul Society for me. Not once did Rukia or Renji ever reply. I thought I mattered to them, that we were friends. But the moment I lost my powers, I guess our friendship ended. I know there was a lot of shit to do to clean up from the war, and with integrating the Vizards back into the ranks, but really? For a year and a half, they couldn’t take half an hour to call me? Write me a letter? Something? I lasted almost a year before I couldn’t anymore. And then, when it came time to give me my powers back, I’m supposed to just forgive and forget?” His voice broke and fresh tears fell from his eyes, crawling over the bridge of his nose and down to his pillow.

Grimmjow’s arms wrapped around Ichigo, pulling him in close. “Those fuckers are idiots. You give everything of yourself to your friends, and they took that for granted. Ichi, you don’t owe them shit, and don’t let them make you think otherwise. You are better than them, you are worth that entire bureaucratic shit show combined and then some. They should be worshiping you as a god, not trying to make you their bitch. Say the word, You’ll have their spines on the front step by morning.”

Ichigo barked out a wet laugh, bringing a hand up to rest against Grimmjow’s right cheek. The arrancar had the ring Urahara had made him on his left hand, more out of habit than anything else, so he didn’t have his mask, but it didn’t matter. “I know, Grimm. I know you’d do that for me, and it makes me happy to know how far you’re willing to go for my sake. But I don’t want you to do that. They had been such important friends, I want to give them the chance to make it right.”

Leaning forward, Grimmjow let his forehead rest against Ichigo’s. “You’re too nice, Ichi. They don’t deserve you at all. I don’ get how you can give them another chance, but you wouldn’t be you otherwise. But if you change your mind, the offer stands.” 

“What would I do with two bloody and messy spines, anyway?” It was clear that Ichigo was trying not to smile by that point, and his caramel eyes kept moving between Grimmjow’s own and the arrancar’s lips. 

Closing the distance between them, Grimmjow kissed Ichigo softly. He normally let the ginger initiate any kisses, but it felt right to do so just then. “Clean ‘em up and keep ‘em as study tools when you get to med school?”

The laugh that Ichigo let out made Grimmjow grin. It was soft, but genuine, and he knew his mate was feeling better already. “More work than it’s worth. I’ll stick to the book diagrams.” Ichigo leaned in for another, slower kiss as his tears finally stopped. When they parted, he smiled warmly. “Thank you.”

Grimmjow felt his own lips curling up into an answering smile. “You know I’ve got your back, Ichi. Anytime, any reason. That’s what bein’ soulmates is.” At least, that was his own interpretation of it. And he knew it was reciprocal without needing to ask. 

Ichigo’s smile grew as he snuggled back into Grimmjow’s warmth. It was late June, the weather outside was hot and muggy, but he didn’t seem to care. “I’m glad I get to have you as mine. And yes, I know that sounds totally corny and lame.”

Chuckling softly, Grimmjow chose not to comment. Instead he just held Ichigo a little closer. The pair laid together quietly a little while longer until Ichigo’s stomach decided to remind them of its existence. Snorting in amusement, Grimmjow nudged his mate to get out of bed. “C’mon. We need to get dinner. We can get something delivered if you want.”

“God yes, I am not in the mood to have to cook anything.” Ichigo stretched as he got up out of bed again. “I’ll meet you downstairs, I’m gonna wash my face really quick.”

Nodding, Grimmjow headed down the stairs to wait. He had purchased a tablet with one of his paychecks, so he pulled up the internet and started trying to find something they would both like for dinner. 

About a week after that rough therapy session, Ichigo actually had time to watch a movie with his family. He was caught up on his studies, and Grimmjow had convinced him to take a night off to relax. Most of the family was settled into their favorite seats, waiting to start the DVD. When the teen walked into the living room with a bowl of his favorite sorbet in hand, he frowned. “That’s my seat.” Ichigo stood in front of Grimmjow, staring down at the very human looking arrancar sitting on the couch between Karin and Yuzu.

With a smirk, Grimmjow crossed his arms. “Your name wasn’t on it, sit on the floor.”

“I’m not sitting on the floor. You sit on the floor.” The teen was almost sulking, and it was the most hilarious thing Grimmjow had seen all day.

“I’m older than you. I deserve to sit on the couch more than you do.” His smirk growing, Grimmjow settled into the couch more. He knew the teen couldn’t argue with that point. 

Opting for a different tactic, Ichigo gave Grimmjow a challenging smirk. “Fine. Then I’ll just sit on you.”

“The hell you will.” The bratty smirk on Ichigo’s face made the arrancar frown. There was no way the kid had the balls to actually sit on him, it still took him a good hour just to relax enough to sleep while touching him.

Ichigo’s smirk notched wider as he stepped closer, a wicked gleam in his honey colored eyes. A part of Grimmjow’s brain that he was quite content to ignore chimed in that the teen’s eyes were looking particularly stunning, like they did in the middle of a good sparring match. “I’m gonna do it if you don’t move.”

Growling, Grimmjow frowned at his mate and the voice in his head complementing the kid. “Prove it.”

There was something to be said about famous last words, but Grimmjow couldn’t quite recall what that was. His brain was too overwhelmed at the warm body suddenly leaning back against him, and the accompanying tight ass in his lap. Ichigo was leaning heavily on his still crossed arms, and it was getting uncomfortable to have the limbs pressed back into his ribs. “Told you I’d sit on you.” Ichigo’s voice was entirely too smug, and the urge to shove him to the floor was almost overwhelming. 

Rather than do what was expected, Grimmjow managed to gather his wits enough to come up with a counter strategy. He could tell by the tension in Ichigo’s body that the teen’s feet were firmly planted on the floor for stability, so he didn’t push. Instead, Grimmjow uncrossed his arms and wrapped them around his mate’s stomach, pulling the boy just that little bit further back into his body. “Yeah, I guess you did.” In their current position, the words husked out just past the shell of Ichigo’s ear, and Grimmjow smirked at the shiver it caused. From the corner of his eye, he could see the red blush racing across the hybrid’s face. It was so easy to make Ichigo blush, and it amused Grimmjow to no end to do so.

“Now that you two are done playing gay chicken, can we start the movie already?” At Grimmjow’s left, Karin’s voice came across deadpanned. Remote in hand, she didn’t even wait for a response before pressing play. Grimmjow just pressed his face into the side of Ichigo’s neck as his shoulders shook with silent laughter. 

Saying nothing, Ichigo just leaned back and did his best to relax as the movie began to play. Over his shoulder, Grimmjow sniffed the sorbet curiously. It smelled very fruity, though without a lot of sugar in it. Curiously, he took the spoon from his mate’s hand and sampled the sorbet. “Huh, that’s pretty good.” 

“If you wanted some, you should have told me and I would have gotten you your own spoon.” Grimmjow could practically hear the eye roll in Ichigo’s voice as the teen took the spoon back. 

Snorting softly, the arrancar nuzzled Ichigo’s neck. “But I didn’t know I wanted any. I’ve never had that before.” He could feel the ginger tense in his arms, probably blushing even more.

“Would you two shut up and watch the movie?” From his right, a sharp elbow dug into Grimmjow’s ribs as Karin jabbed him into silence. 

Biting back both a growl and a laugh, Grimmjow stopped harassing Ichigo and turned his focus back to the movie. It ended up being quite good, full of action and explosions. By the time it was over, he was tired and ready to snuggle up to his mate. Getting up from the couch, he picked Ichigo up with him. “Bed time now, yeah?” 


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's short

Despite the initial surprised squawk he let out, Ichigo just laughed as Grimmjow carried him around the couch and angling toward the stairs. “I need to put my bowl in the dishwasher first, but then we can get ready for bed.”

Detouring to the kitchen, Grimmjow reluctantly set Ichigo onto his feet. Behind him, he heard Isshin wailing at the poster of his late wife. “Oh, my dear Masaki! You’d be so proud of how well our son’s soulmate is caring for him! Grimm-kun takes such good care of our boy!”

Rolling his eyes, Grimmjow just sighed before taking Ichigo by the hand and lead him to the stairs. “Shut up, old man. It’s too late for your bellowing.” He’d had a particularly long day at his job at a local ramen shop, ending up staying an hour and a half later than usual to make sure the restaurant would be in a good place for the dinner rush.

Feeling the warm hand in his own squeeze reassuringly, the annoyance in Grimmjow’s shoulders relaxed a little. “Let’s go get ready for bed, Grimm. You look like you’ve had a long day.” 

Now that he was more used to human habits, Grimmjow didn’t take long to be ready to sleep. Climbing under the covers of the very luxurious bed Isshin had purchased weeks ago, he felt his eyes already drifting shut before Ichigo had even shut the lights off. As the bed dipped from the ginger’s weight, he automatically reached out to pull the teen close. Ichigo shifted around a little to get comfortable, breaking the silence with soft words. “If tomorrow is another long day, just text me. We can reschedule our sparring if you’re worn out again.”

It felt like there were weights holding his eyes shut, so Grimmjow just held Ichigo a little closer and let out a sound embarrassingly close to a purr. “Hope it don’t come to that. Sparring is fun.”

Months passed by, showing in how the leaves on trees slowly turned to reds and oranges. Standing in the basement of Urahara’s shop, Grimmjow didn’t have Pantera drawn. Instead, he stood in front of a peculiar platform he hadn’t seen before. Supposedly, a senkaimon was going to be opened on the platform, allowing Grimmjow to travel to Soul Society. It was finally time for official peace talks to occur, and he was expected to be there from day one. He understood why; he was in a particularly unique position to help maintain peace between the realms. Still, the prospect of spending an entire week away from the place he considered his home and parted from his mate had his skin crawling. “You sure you can’t come along?”

Shaking his head, Ichigo smiled softly. Lifting his hand, he cupped Grimmjow’s mask and ran his fingers along the edge of the bone. “If I wasn’t so close to finals, I would in a heartbeat. But I can’t afford to let Kon sit my classes for me right now. Besides, I’ll be there in a week.” 

Turning his face toward the warm palm on his cheek, Grimmjow growled softly. “My phone won’t work there, so you damn well better take care of yourself this week. No skipping meals or therapy. Talk to people if you need to, deal?”

“Deal. You do the same, though. If you need to talk to someone, you know Lisa will listen to you. And so will Toshiro.” Ichigo nodded firmly, though Grimmjow wasn’t sure if he was protecting the longing he saw in the ginger’s eyes.

“Yeah, I will.” Leaning in, he kissed Ichigo deeply. He wanted to make sure he couldn’t forget how the hybrid tasted, they hadn’t been apart this long since first finding out about being soulmates. 

When the kiss ended, Ichigo leaned forward, not wanting it to end so soon. It was necessary, though, regardless of how either he or Grimmjow felt. As the senkaimon opened on the platform, he gave a half-hearted wave and watched until the shoji doors closed and disappeared.


	13. Chapter 13

It had been a week since the last time Grimmjow had been able to go back to where he now felt was his home. With Ichigo as his soulmate, he spent the majority of his time in the living world when he wasn’t playing glorified message boy between Hueco Mundo and Soul Society. And with the signing of an official treaty between the remaining arrancar and the shinigami’s ranks, he’d been away from his mate for more nights than he preferred. Having been with the teen for several months now, he not only was feeling the immense itch, but sleep was also hard to come by. Thankfully, Ichigo was going to be coming for the treaty celebration, so he would see the ginger in less than an hour. Most of the other remaining espada had already arrived, and now the contingent from the living world were the only ones missing. Shifting his weight, he tried not to get too antsy.

Within moments, a new senkaimon opened to permit the mortal allies of the shinigami into Soul Society. Chad and the girl with the short dark hair were in front, followed closely by Ishida and Inoue. Behind that pair, he could see the top of Isshin’s head, and limp looking ginger hair. The fact that it wasn’t as healthy looking as he recalled started a pit of worry growing in Grimmjow’s stomach. As soon as he actually saw Ichigo’s face, he frowned deeply. A week ago, the teen had been healthy and full of energy, bright eyed and faintly tanned from the amount of time he spent outside. Now Ichigo looked pale with dark rings under his eyes, his cheeks looking thinner than they should. Dull brown eyes locked on him and Ichigo nearly stumbled over to wrap his arms around Grimmjow’s waist. Raising a hand to the back of the teen’s neck, Grimmjow slid his other arm beneath the flat of Zangetsu’s large blade to pull his mate closer. “You look like shit. You been eating?”

Warm breath rushed over the edge of his scar as Ichigo pressed his face into the side of Grimmjow’s neck. “Much as I can. Sleep deprivation makes it hard to be hungry, but I’ve been trying.” 

“How bad has it been?” There was no sense in asking if Ichigo was still having night terrors, Grimmjow already knew the answer to that. 

“Worst it’s been since before you showed up. Had new ones, too. No clawing at my chest, but not good for keeping dinner down.” Between the feeling of Ichigo’s skin against his own and the way the hybrid’s words slid across his skin, Grimmjow was very nearly thinking thoughts that probably should have had him feeling guilty. 

Pushing down the rising lust, he reluctantly pulled back and looked down at the teen. Biting the inside of his cheek, Grimmjow knew what he needed to do. With as much time as he spent in the Seireitei, he’d been granted a place to stay. “You need sleep, and so do I. Can you use your speed to keep up with me?” He couldn’t recall what shinigami called their flash steps at that moment.

There was a pout on Ichigo’s face as he looked up at Grimmjow. “Mm...not likely. Might hit a wall.” 

Trying not to laugh at the pout, Grimmjow turned around and crouched down a little. “I’ll carry you, then.” Having Ichigo on his back would make it much easier for them both while heading to the apartment he’d been given. Once he felt Ichigo’s weight against his back, Grimmjow grabbed the backs of the ginger’s thighs and stood up. “Hang on, we’ll be there in a minute.” 

With the use of his Sonido, Grimmjow got himself and Ichigo to the modest house in the noble district. Getting them both inside, he set the teen down before locking the door. “Here’s the place they’ve given me to stay in when I’m here. Got a sword rack for your blades, too.” Kicking off his boots, Grimmjow tossed his white jacket at the hook near the entrance. 

Ichigo had to sit to take off his sandals, before struggling to get back up with the weight of his blades. Or at least that was Grimmjow’s best guess. “Where’s the sword rack?” His voice sounded heavy with exhaustion, and it brought out a protective streak that had been growing in Grimmjow since the first night they’d spent together. 

The house had a main room, a kitchen, a toilet, and a bath, and there was an overly thick futon occupying most of the floor space in the main room. The wall above the futon had a three tiered sword rack, specially designed for both halves of Zangetsu to rest beneath Pantera, which was already in its slot. As he shrugged out of his shirt and removed his belts, Grimmjow nodded at the rack. “Right there. Had it custom made, so I can guarantee it’ll hold Zangetsu’s weight.” Dropping his belts on top of his shirt, he kicked off his pants to stand in nothing but his underwear.

Once Ichigo had the swords in place, he started to tug at his kosode. Once that was untucked, long fingers started at his obi but struggled with the knot. A soft smile graced Grimmjow’s lips as he took the few steps to cross the room. Gently brushing Ichigo’s hands aside, he deftly untied the knot in the white cloth, letting it pool on the ground around Ichigo’s feet. The center of the ginger’s chest had fresh scabs among the healing welts and faint scars, and he stared at it as he kept peeling layers off the teen. Warm fingers traced the edge of his mask as Ichigo stepped out of his hakama and stood in his kosode, underwear, and socks. “Just how naked are you planning on getting me?”

Leaning into the touch, Grimmjow smirked as he pushed the layered top off of Ichigo’s shoulders. “Just to your underwear. We both need the skin contact, and you’ll overheat otherwise.” 

Ichigo’s hand left Grimmjow’s mask and moved to grab onto his bicep. The teen used that to steady himself as he pulled his socks off one at a time before standing up fully again. Yawning, bleary amber eyes looked up into blue. “Sleep now?”

“Yeah, sleep now. Let’s lay down.” Turning back the top cover of the futon, Grimmjow stepped over to help Ichigo lay down. Settling in with the teen, he pulled Ichigo into his side. Pulling up the blanket over them again, he wrapped his arms around his mate. “Close your eyes, Ichi. We can sleep as long as you need to.

Snuggling close to Grimmjow, a soft smile graced Ichigo’s lips as he rested his head on the arrancar’s shoulder. “Mm, missed you.” His words were slurred as sleep overcame the teen.

Hearing such a simple phrase melted Grimmjow’s heart and made him pull Ichigo a little closer. If he could have purred, he would have like a motor. Brushing his lips across Ichigo’s forehead, Grimmjow closed his eyes and settled in to sleep as well.

Several hours later, the sound of knocking at the front door stirred Grimmjow from his sleep. Based on the light coming through the window next to the futon, it was sunset now. Since the sound hadn’t woken Ichigo yet, he carefully worked his way out from under the boy to get up. When Ichigo rolled to his other side, Grimmjow let out a sigh of relief internally as he slipped out of bed and hurried over to the door. Unlocking it and sliding it open, he saw a servant wearing the Kuchiki crest with a stack of boxes in their hands standing next to Ichigo’s father. Even though he was wearing nothing but a tight pair of boxers, he just stepped aside and let both men in. The servant had been by before, bringing food from Byakuya’s home that the captain sent regularly since he had the means to. “Jus’ set those in the kitchen. And Isshin, try to keep it down. Ichigo is still sleeping.”

“Good, I’m glad to hear that. You’re looking much better than you did when we got here, too. I was just bringing over the bag my son had packed since it was still with mine and the girls’ things. Kisuke made us a case that can hold five times what it looks like it should, so he had a bag just tucked in there.” Holding out a duffel bag, the dark haired man smiled softly. “Has he woken you up with any nightmares?”

Taking the bag as the servant set the boxes of food in the small kitchen, Grimmjow shook his head. “Nah, seems to have been pretty peaceful. I’m sure he’ll appreciate that you brought this by.” 

Isshin’s smile grew as he reached out and ruffled Grimmjow’s hair. “Good, I’m glad to hear it. You boys get some more rest, alright?” As the servant bowed to Grimmjow and excused himself, Isshin stepped back out the door as well. 

Growling softly at the hand in his hair, Grimmjow nodded. “We will. See ya tomorrow.” Giving a one handed wave, he shut and locked the door behind Isshin. Turning back to the main room, he saw Ichigo sitting up and rubbing at his eyes. Setting the duffel bag down, he knelt on the bed again and leaned in to kiss the teen. “Did your dad wake you?”

Humming into the kiss, Ichigo reached up and pulled Grimmjow closer. “Heard voices, woke me up. Everything okay?”

Following the hands urging him down into bed again, Grimmjow nodded as he slid back under the covers with Ichigo. “One of Kuchiki’s staff brought us food, and your dad brought your duffel bag.” Leaning in, he ghosted a trail of kisses along Ichigo’s cheek toward the teen’s ear. “How’re you doing?”

The way Ichigo stretched under Grimmjow would have made a cat jealous, and the lazy smile he wore lit a fire in the hollow’s blood. “I’m good. Feeling a lot better than when I got here. You?” 

A soft growl slipped from Grimmjow as he nipped lightly at Ichigo’s earlobe. “Better than I’ve been all week. Been missing you, too. Hard to sleep without you.” 

Ichigo tipped his head, giving Grimmjow more access to his neck. “Was trying to wear your shirts so I could at least smell you, but they weren’t enough. I don’t have nearly as many night terrors with you home.” Wrapping his arms around Grimmjow, his fingers traced the lines of lean muscle in the hollow’s back.

The warm fingers along his skin had Grimmjow burying his face in Ichigo’s neck. Shifting his weight, he settled between the ginger’s thighs and lowered himself onto his mate. The increase in skin contact made them both sigh happily, and Grimmjow muffled his moan from the feeling of their groins coming into contact against the side of Ichigo’s neck. “Shit...you feel good.”

Beneath him, Ichigo’s back arched and caused him to rock against Grimmjow. “Grimm...fuck. Missed feeling you like this.” His fingers dug in a little harder with one hand moving toward the back of Grimmjow’s neck to play with hairs at the base of his neck.

While intimacy was something that was slowly developing in their relationship, Grimmjow couldn’t fight his instincts. Biting at the juncture of Ichigo’s neck and shoulder, he rolled his hips slowly down against the teen. Both of them moaned from the friction, and the bite pulled a whine from Ichigo. “Mm, yeah. You feel so good, Ichi. Love the way you sound, too.” Bracing his weight on one elbow, Grimmjow stroked his other hand down Ichigo’s side to slip under his thigh. With a gentle pull, he hiked the teen’s leg over his own hip. It put their cloth covered lengths closer, increasing the level of pleasure sharply. 

Ichigo gasped sharply, bucking his hips out of reflex. “Ah! Grimm...shit, feels so good.” His hands smoothed over Grimmjow’s skin to his cheeks, bringing the hollow’s face back to his own to kiss him hungrily. 

As he leaned into the kiss, Grimmjow’s hips kept moving, grinding against Ichigo. He knew he was leaking precum, and would be willing to bet the teen was as well. With the layers of their underwear between them, he could feel the heat of Ichigo’s length dampened by the fabric. “Fuck...need more.” With a reluctant growl, he pulled back and reached for Ichigo’s boxers. Tugging on the fabric, he managed to coax them off the teen before tossing them to the side. Pushing his own down, he kicked them off before pressing himself down against Ichigo once more. 

The increase in skin contact drew a loud moan from Ichigo, they had never gone so far before. “Ah...fuck! Grimm, I need you.” His hips rocked up against Grimmjow, causing their cocks to slide against each other. The teen threw his head back with a gasp, shaking slightly as his pleasure grew. 

A low growl rumbled in Grimmjow’s chest as he reached between them. Wrapping his hand around both of their lengths, the arrancar stroked himself and Ichigo at the same time. The sensation was so nearly overwhelming that he had to stop after the first stroke to regain his control. “Shit...feels so good, Ichi. Gettin’ so close.” He wasn’t ashamed to admit that, not with how hot his mate was beneath him. 

Warm fingers reached up and trailed over Grimmjow’s mask, running over each tooth. Ichigo rocked into his mate’s grip as the hollow stroked them both together. The teen couldn’t even give a warning as his climax hit, letting out a wordless cry as he spilled over Grimmjow’s hand and between their bodies. That sensation was enough to push the azure haired arrancar over the edge as well. After riding out his own climax, the strength went out of Grimmjow’s arms and had him sagging over Ichigo. The hand that had been tracing over his mask moved to stroke along his bicep, as the teen’s other hand moved to play with his hair. “Wow. That was…” Ichigo’s voice trailed off, sounding sated and smugly pleased.

With his left cheek against the side of Ichigo’s neck, Grimmjow grinned. He knew he should move, should at least make an effort to wipe up some of their mess, but he was comfortable and his mate warm beneath him. “Fuckin’ fantastic, wasn’t it?” It was a new level of intimacy for them, he’d never had Ichigo fully nude in his arms before. Raising his head, he gave Ichigo a lazy kiss. 


	14. Chapter 14

A soft laugh shook Ichigo’s shoulders as he returned the kiss. Running his fingers through Grimmjow’s hair, he smiled in a way that made his eyes look like they were catching and reflecting every ray of light in the room. It was enough to knock the air clean from Grimmjow’s lungs in wonder. “Probably should clean up, huh? Also, I seem to recall you mentioning food?” 

“I did. Shower, bath, or just wipe off the worst of it?” Grimmjow’s eyes slipped closed as he leaned into the long fingers carding through his hair. The feel of Ichigo’s fingers detangling the soft blue strands and massaging his scalp at the same time was one that he was certain he’d never be able to get enough of. Personally, he was partial to just wiping up the worst of it and then eating. A shower or bath could be shared after, if they were still alert enough. 

“Just wipe off the worst of it, I’m starving. Haven’t been this hungry in days.” The smile on Ichigo’s face was audible in his voice, and hearing that he was hungry made Grimmjow grin. It was clear the boy hadn’t been eating well, but lack of good sleep could make it hard to be hungry. He’d learned that first hand this past week. 

Since Ichigo had packed clothing for his stay, Grimmjow grabbed the teen’s discarded boxers to wipe his hand and both their stomachs clean before rising to his feet. As he rounded the corner into his tiny kitchen, he was quick to fill the small kettle and set it to boil. “Don’t got much options for tea, hope you aren’t feelin’ picky.” He pulled out the tea and the pair of mugs he kept on hand before looking at the boxes of food. “Looks like we got a feast here. Miso fish, boiled lobster, tempura veggies for you, sweet omelettes and soft boiled eggs. Plenty of rice, and some pickled stuff. Ooo, chashu pork~.” What little counter space he had was covered with the bento trays as he unstacked them one after another. 

Rising to his feet, Ichigo’s stomach growled to prove his need for food. “That sounds amazing, and I will have to remember to thank Byakuya for all this tomorrow. For now, I’ll have a little bit of everything.”

“If you fold the foot of the futon up, there’s a table in the closet next to the front door you can pull out. We can put the food on there and just take from each of the trays as we go.” Grimmjow grinned as he prepared the teapot and got it ready for the water that was slowly heating. “There’s pillows we can sit on, too, if you don’t want a tatami print on your ass.” 

Ichigo snorted out a laugh as he retrieved the table and set it up. “Doesn’t sound all that comfortable, no.” He helped Grimmjow move all the trays of food, fetching them each a pair of chopsticks as well. Once the tea was ready, they sat to eat. As the trays were emptied, they were stacked to the side of the table. Conversation was minimal, both men feeling too hungry to chat much. 

After the last of the trays was picked clean, and the stack moved back to the counter, Grimmjow shoved the table as close to the wall as it would go and unfolded the futon more. Reaching a hand down, he pulled Ichigo up and started guiding him to the bath. “Come on, let’s go clean up before we sleep some more.” 

Grinning, Ichigo followed quite happily. He even washed Grimmjow’s back before the arrancar could do the same for him. Once they were both scrubbed clean and lounging together in the bath, he laid his head back on Grimmjow’s shoulder from his position in front of the hollow. “From now on, one of us needs to commute at night when you have to be gone for so long. I’m almost done with high school, and my university schedule will mostly depend on what classes I sign up for. Here or Hueco Mundo, I don’t care, but sleeping without you sucks a lot.” 

Grimmjow hummed softly and brushed his lips over Ichigo’s shoulder. “I agree. May be times when we gotta do it, if you have a test or some shit, but not if we can avoid it. I’ll teach you how to use Descorrer to open gargantas so you can travel between the worlds on your own. You can aim it wherever you want, long as you have a vague idea of where you want to end up.”

“That’ll help a lot. Zangetsu says he doesn’t know it or he’d have taught it to me. I guess the hollow that he came from was sent through by Aizen with no plan on it being able to return on its own.” Ichigo’s voice held no surprise or malice, sounding honestly like he was just chatting about the weather or his school work. 

“Well, I can teach you. And then you can go wherever you want to see me or your friends. I promise not to bitch too much if you visit Nel, even.” As much as the female arrancar annoyed him, Grimmjow knew that she was a valuable friend to Ichigo. 

That pulled a soft chuckle from Ichigo, and he pulled Grimmjow’s left wrist up to press a kiss to the letters there. “Thank you, I really appreciate it. May only use it here to see you or Dad’s side of the family.” Stifling a yawn, he relaxed more against the arrancar behind him as the water slowly cooled around them. “Got a busy day tomorrow?”

The soft kiss to his wrist made Grimmjow want to wrap Ichigo in the finest cloths and hide the ginger from the world. The self sacrificing fool was too kind and let people in too easily. Considering he knew all too well how badly that had bitten the teen in the ass, instinct had him eager to protect his mate. “Gotta be at the treaty meeting tomorrow. You could come, represent the living world or something. I’m sure they’d let you.”

Ichigo shook his head. “Nah, Tatsuki and Chad are doing that. Inoue is pretty much considered a Quincy by marriage, even though she’s a fullbringer and she and Ishida aren’t married yet. As strictly fullbringers, with no formal ties yet to the other realms, Chad and Tatsuki are the most impartial. Dad said he’ll back them up, too, if any of the captains give them shit.” 

“I see. So what are you planning on doing, then?” It seemed odd to Grimmjow, but then again he had never known that exposure to hollow reiatsu could give powers to regular humans. “Could go spend time with those friends of yours.”

Scoffing, Ichigo stretched his arms out in front of himself. “If you mean Rukia and Renji, I’ll pass. I’m still pissed at them, and I would expect an apology from them both if I thought they had the slightest idea of how they’ve fucked up. I figure I’ll either take my sisters to find Kuukaku and Ganju, or I’ll go spar with Ikkaku and Yumichika. Since Kenpachi’ll be in the treaty meeting I think.”

Catching minute shivers rippling under Ichigo’s skin, Grimmjow nudged the teen to stand before grabbing them each a towel. As he dried off, he looked at Ichigo seriously. “If you need to, come back here. It’s private property, and the surrounding estates keep the rabble out pretty well for me. Even lieutenants wouldn’t dare bother you here, especially with the risk of shaming Kuchiki’s name.”

The laugh that Ichigo tried to let out was cut off by an eye watering yawn. The teen dried off as quickly as he could before returning the towel to the small rack on the wall. “Sleep now?”

“Yes. Go get comfy, I’ll be right there.” For all that he had been through and the hell he had seen and stood against time and again, Grimmjow still found himself melting a little when Ichigo unwittingly displayed such a cute side to himself. He watched the teen shuffle back out to the futon and heard him lay down, feeling pleased on a deep and animalistic level that he could provide such a nice place for his partner. With one final check of the door, Grimmjow slipped under the covers and pulled Ichigo close. There was no way he was going to let the boy sleep beside him when they could hold each other.

By the time Grimmjow woke in the morning, he could smell coffee coming from his tiny kitchen. Ichigo’s side of the futon was almost cold, meaning the teen had been awake for some time. Sitting up, he rubbed his hands over his face before looking over the counter into the cooking area. “You brought me coffee?”

“Grounds and a French press. So you can make your own when I’m not here.” Ichigo was grinning, and Grimmjow could tell the teen was wearing one of his shirts. The collar was loose and draped toward one sun-kissed shoulder as Ichigo washed out a mug and filled it with the dark drink Grimmjow so enjoyed. With a full mug in his hands, Ichigo walked back over and sat on the edge of the futon. “Here. Strong and un-altered, just the way you like it.”

Taking the mug, Grimmjow took a sip and sighed happily as he wrapped his hands around the hot drink. “Tastes great, thank you.” Releasing a hand from his mug, he wrapped it around the back of Ichigo’s neck to pull the ginger in for a kiss. “You look good in my shirt.” It showed off the blossoming bruise from where he’d bit the teen the previous evening. It was almost like a mark of ownership, satisfying a primal part of him to see it. 

A light blush dusted Ichigo’s cheeks at the comment, something that always happened whenever he complimented the teen’s appearance. “Yours are warmer than mine. And since I only have one shinigami uniform, I didn’t want to have to wear the same clothes all week.” Under the oversized shirt, he had on a well worn pair of jeans that fit well enough to have caused Grimmjow to glare at strangers on the street before. He knew Ichigo looked good in them, but that didn’t mean other people had a right to stare at the boy. “Since we ate all the food brought over last night, what are we doing for breakfast?”

“There are a few places I know of that we can go to. Do you want to see what the brats are doing, or if they’ve already eaten?” Grimmjow let his fingers play with the ends of Ichigo’s hair as he sipped his coffee, knowing that his mate knew he was talking about Karin and Yuzu. Sure, he was growing attached to the twins and would protect them just as viciously as Ichigo would, but he wasn’t about to let them know that. 

Laughing brightly as he leaned into the touch, Ichigo shrugged half-heartedly. “I suppose I could call them. My phone is in my bag, though.” The bag in question was a few feet away, just out of arm’s reach. 

Pulling Ichigo back in for another kiss, Grimmjow let go so that the hybrid could grab his phone. “After, I’ll be heading to the first division for the meeting. We’ll break for lunch around noon, if you want to join in.” 

“I might, could be fun to see the captains again. And Nel and the other former espada. Did they all come along?” Reaching for his bag, Ichigo pulled it out and powered it on. 

Knocking back the last of his coffee, Grimmjow finally got out of the bed to start dressing. He had a small set of drawers to the side of the room where he kept essentials like underwear, so he pulled out a clean pair and put them on. “Mostly. We left Szayel runnin’ things. No one wants him and the clown faced freak in the same world while on good terms. Weird enough havin’ him and Urahara chattin’ with each other.” Reaching for his pants, he tugged them on as well. 

“Good plan. That’s just a recipe for bad things.” Grinning to himself, Ichigo watched Grimmjow dress from the corner of his eye. His vibrant amber eyes looked to be filled with a mix of heat and disappointment, and Grimmjow filed that away for later. Damn his obligations, without them he’d just drag Ichigo back into bed to have his way with the teen again.

“Damn right it is.” Picking his belts up from the floor, the arrancar buckled them around his hips. He had no intention of taking Pantera with him to the meeting, it wasn’t going to be needed, but the belts were part of his look. Hearing the phone in Ichigo’s hand chime as he picked up his shirt, he knelt down behind the teen as he slipped his shirt on. “Got a message from one of your sisters?”

“Yeah, breakfast is in the dining hall of the tenth division. You about ready?” Grimmjow knew Ichigo could tell where he was, the smile was audible in his voice. “I need to get my shoes on if you are.”

Just for the hell of it, Grimmjow nipped playfully at the spot just behind Ichigo’s ear before leaning back and standing again. “Yeah, just need my boots and jacket.” Zipping his sleeveless shirt, he kicked the covers on the futon up so it looked at least mostly made again before stepping past Ichigo toward the genkan. 

The nip behind his ear made Ichigo let out a noise close enough to a squeak that he blushed again while slapping a hand over the spot. He slipped his phone into his pocket and pulled a pair of sneakers from his duffel bag. “You know how to get there?” Once his shoes were on, he stepped toward Grimmjow and played idly with the cuffs of the long sleeves he was wearing.

Mentally, Grimmjow swore as he looked at Ichigo. The kid could be so damn cute at times, and probably didn’t even realize it. On the bright side, the dark circles under Ichigo’s eyes were noticeably lighter, and his face didn’t look so thin and drawn. “Yeah, I know how to get there.” Grabbing his jacket, he shrugged it on. “Follow me.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Split POV in this chapter, but the change is marked.

When the two got to the mess hall of the tenth division, the officers were all murmuring to themselves. Ichigo kept looking around, a confused look on his face since no one would actually speak to the pair. “Do I have something in my teeth? Is my hair a mess?”

“No, Ichi-nii, but that bruise on your neck is pretty damn telling.” Karin’s voice drifted over to Ichigo and Grimmjow as she walked over to find them. Not that it was hard, Grimmjow knew. He and Ichigo had a tendency to stand out in any crowd. The way Ichigo flushed made the hollow snicker as they followed the dark haired girl to a table to sit. 

“Ah, my sons have arrived!” Isshin, as always, boomed out his words and drew the attention of most of the dining hall. Grimmjow just took Ichigo’s tray so the ginger could deck his father without dropping any food.

“Ain’t your kid, nutjob.” Taking a seat, Grimmjow started eating as soon as he went through the ritual of giving thanks for the food. It was a dumb human practice as far as he was concerned, but Yuzu would sulk at him if he didn’t, and it wasn’t worth going through that in front of so many strangers. “Ichi, sit and eat.” 

The teen dropped into the chair between Grimmjow and Yuzu, flashing a smile at his sister. Between bites of food, he chatted with the girls, his father, and Hitsugaya, who was dining with them. It seemed the twins were going to be shown around the safer rukon areas by Matsumoto, since lieutenants weren’t a part of the treaty meeting, and might end up doing some shopping. They invited Ichigo to join, but he resolutely refused. “I’ll go hang out at the eleventh with Ikkaku and Yumichika. I don’t know that I’ve ever had a chance to have a friendly spar with either of them.”

Hitsugaya snorted in amusement. “Zaraki’s going to be ticked when he hears that. He’s been talking about getting to spar with you for over a week.” Turquoise eyes glimmered in amusement, and Grimmjow noticed how close the white haired boy was sitting to Karin. A glance to the side proved that Ichigo had noticed it as well.

“Toshiro, after the meetings, you and I are gonna have a long talk.” Ichigo’s voice was cold, almost containing its own echo as his hollow slipped into it. Grimmjow knew it was his protective streak coming out strong. 

Karin just rolled her eyes. “You know I can take care of myself, Ichi-nii.” 

Grimmjow couldn’t help laughing at that. “You have met your brother, right? Literally the most protective dumbass ever?” Glancing at his mate, he saw that the ginger wasn’t even mad. 

Like a proper captain, Hitsugaya didn’t even flinch. “I’ll be certain to make time for that. But it will have to wait. The meeting will be starting soon. Shiba-taicho, Jaergerjaques, and I should head to the first.” Looking at the girls, he smiled faintly. “Matsumoto will be meeting you two out front with a carriage to take you to the rukon districts.” Pushing up from his seat, he let the backs of his fingers run along Karin’s arm as he picked up his tray of empty dishes. 

~Ichigo’s POVt~

Soon enough, the rest of them had cleared the table. With Grimmjow and the two captains off to the first, and his sisters off to shop, Ichigo started walking toward the eleventh. While he still struggled to sense reiatsu, he could at least feel the battle hungry squad and use it to find his way. While a fight sounded great, he was enjoying the quiet and the privacy. Yes, the walls were tall and overly bright white, just like the tiled ground, but he could appreciate the scenery for the first time. The last time he’d been in the soul society was when Yhwach and the Wandenreich were attacking. Thankfully the original Quincy had been stopped by Yamamoto, though it had cost the old man his life. Trailing his fingertips along one of the walls, he frowned as he felt two far too familiar reiatsu signals appear behind him.

“Ichigo, there you are! We were looking for you last night, but we couldn’t find you.” A large and tattooed arm slung its way around Ichigo’s shoulder as Renji’s boisterous voice nearly bellowed in his ear.

“Yeah, there was a reason for that. It’s called reconnecting with my soulmate.” Glancing over, Ichigo gave Renji a flat look before shrugging off the arm around him. 

In front of Ichigo, Rukia stood with her arms crossed and a deeply judgemental look in her violet eyes. “Are you seriously with Grimmjow? The same hollow that tried to kill you countless times? Why would you do that?”

“Yeah. He was your enemy, Ichigo. What were you thinking?” Renji frowned down at him, clearly trying to look older and wiser.

Scoffing, Ichigo shoved past both of them and shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. He really did not want to see either of his “friends” at the moment, not when he was still so bitter about how easily they had thrown him away after the war. “Yeah, so were you, Renji. I still associated with you by choice. Byakuya and Kenpachi, and every fucking soul reaper who lived through the war and the Wandenreich invasion was my enemy once.”

He could hear Rukia’s distinctive steps hurrying to catch up to him. “That was different. Grimmjow is a hollow, Ichigo. He’s a monster who eats other souls and gets off on violence even worse than Zaraki-taicho.” 

“You think I care about him being a hollow? I’m part hollow. I was born with a hollow in me that happens to also be the root of my shinigami heritage. Am I a monster, Rukia?” Turning around abruptly, Ichigo glared at the woman. He thought she would have matured and grown by now, but clearly she was still too prejudiced to think. 

“That’s totally different. Grimmjow sided with Aizen. He can’t be trusted, and I don’t know what Kyouraku-soutaicho is thinking accepting him as the ambassador from Hueco Mundo. Or signing a treaty with them at all.” Renji’s lip curled up in a sneer as he stood next to Rukia, clearly ready to back her up. 

“Renji is right. You should just dump him and pick a normal girl to have a family with. Hollow attacks on Karakura are at an all time low, so you should just try to be as normal as you can be. You know, while still coming to visit now and then.” Rukia crossed her arms and looked up at Ichigo smugly. “You were just a normal human until Ginjou, after all.”

Ichigo saw red. He could feel his anger flaring up, hearing Zangetsu’s wordless howl of rage in his mind. Clenching his fists, he struggled to keep his voice even as his glared darkened. “Normal? You thought I could be normal? After everything I went through, all that I gained and lost, why the fuck would you think I had a snowball’s chance in hell of being normal? After I lost my powers, when I wasn’t losing sleep over night terrors, I was being bombarded with ways to feel anything other than numb emptiness. I had three different yakuza families offer me a position as an enforcer. I can tell you where to find seven different illegal fight clubs in Karakura that pay based on the bets they take in. I can show you to no less than five bars that take the legal drinking age as a suggestion. I know the maximum dose of four different highly restricted narcotics that my father keeps in the clinic, as well as where he keeps the key to the cabinet those medicines are stored in and what drawer the sterile syringes are in. I spend every day struggling with an eating disorder. The only reason I never started cutting as a way to feel literally anything is because the one time I was going to try, I gave myself a panic attack from remembering all the times I was cut and stabbed in battle. So tell me just how many Japanese teenagers you think I could have anything in common with anymore. You were the only ones I could have possibly related to, which you would have known if you could have been bothered to open up one of my letters and spared me five minutes of your time before I gave up on you. And before you try and turn this around to how happy I was to see you when you came to give me my powers back, you should know that I would have been happy to see any soul reaper. You could have sent some schmuck that had never heard of me and only found me based on descriptions from others and I would have been just as thrilled to see them as I was to you. You’re not special in that sense. And it’s going to be a long damn time before I count you as friends again.” By the time he was done, he was yelling, and his arms were shaking. His vision was warping and distorting the shocked pair in front of him and his heart was hammering in his chest. Reaching for his reiatsu, Ichigo found that Zangetsu had cut it off, so he did the only other thing he could think of. He ran. Taking off, he ran blindly as far as he could before his legs and his lungs gave out. Curling into a ball, he pressed against one of the many walls lining the pathways and tried to be as small as he could.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to Grimmjow's POV

While Ichigo was running into the last two people he had wanted to see, Grimmjow was listening halfheartedly to Harribel talking about what she was hoping to get out of the treaty for the residents of Hueco Mundo. He was idly keeping tabs on Ichigo’s reiatsu, something he did almost instinctively lately, when he felt it start to flicker. A sense of dread filled Grimmjow’s stomach, and he tuned out what was being talked about entirely. The moment his mate’s reiatsu disappeared entirely, the arrancar was on his feet. He knew all eyes had turned to him and that no one was talking anymore, but he didn’t have time for that. Pausing only to make eye contact with Isshin, he heard the now captain of the eighth swear as he used sonido to go after Ichigo. 

The last place he’d felt the ginger had two other reiatsu signatures at it, so he went there first. With a snarl, he didn’t even bother asking the two lieutenants which way he should go to look. Grimmjow had been a panther before gaining his bipedal form, and he still had many of the inherent abilities of a cat. Inhaling deeply, he caught Ichigo’s scent and followed it, running as fast as he could without using sonido. Hearing the sobs and gasps before rounding one more corner, Grimmjow felt like his heart was being torn from his chest all over again as he took in the sight of the shaking form huddled on the ground in a ball. Dropping to his knees, he pulled Ichigo into his lap and held him close, wrapping his reiatsu around the teen for an extra level of comfort. “Ichi, I’ve got you. I’m here and you’re safe. I need you to work on breathing for me, alright? Breathe in for four, then hold it for four. Then exhale for four and hold that for four. I’ll count it out for you, alright?”

As Grimmjow counted from one to four over and over, Ichigo’s breathing began to even out. No longer gasping as badly, he was still shaking like a leaf. “Grimm…”

“Hey, it’s alright. I’ve got you. Now that you can talk again, wanna try that five senses thing Toshiya-sensei told ya about?” Shifting his weight, Grimmjow sat cross legged on the ground and gently rocked Ichigo back and forth. When the teen nodded, he smiled softly. “Okay, let’s see. I think it started with five things you can see.” 

One of Ichigo’s hands had Grimmjow’s jacket in a death grip, but he did obediently start to look around. “Brown roofing tiles. White stucco walls. Some clouds. Dad. Unohana-san.”

Grimmjow had sensed the two shinigami arriving, but hadn’t said anything in case it pushed Ichigo back into the worst of the panic attack. “Good. Now, four was touch, right?”

Nodding, Ichigo’s tongue peeked out to wet his lips as he took a measured breath. “Your jacket. Um...the ground under my heels.” A trembling hand made its way to the right side of Grimmjow’s face. “Your mask. And how soft this shirt is.”

Leaning into the touch, Grimmjow bit back a joking comment on having officially lost the shirt to his lover. Instead, he stayed focused for both their sakes. “Alright, now three things you can hear.” 

Curling a little closer, Ichigo seemed like he was trying to put his ear over Grimmjow’s chest. “You breathing. Dad shifting his weight. And I’m starting to hear Zangetsu again, but they sound really far away.”

The fact that Ichigo could hear his swords again already made Grimmjow sigh in relief as he pressed a kiss to ginger locks that had been dampened with sweat. “Almost done now. Two things you can smell.” 

The shadow of a smile crossed Ichigo’s lips as the fingers still pressed to Grimmjow’s mask slowly stopped shaking. “The coffee I made you this morning. And antiseptic, though I don’t know if it’s from Dad or Unohana-san.” 

Laughing softly, Grimmjow leaned into the warm hand on the right side of his face. “Last one. Something you can taste.”

“Bile from almost throwing up.” Ichigo’s nose wrinkled at that, but Grimmjow didn’t care. He could feel the teen’s reiatsu back at its full intensity, and no more tremors shook the boy’s frame. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Not yet. Later, maybe. But I don’t think I wanna go to the eleventh anymore.” Shaking his head, Ichigo bit his lower lip as exhaustion muddied the color of his eyes.

Before Grimmjow could say anything, Unohana was kneeling in front of him and looking at Ichigo with the sort of kindness he’d seen mothers show their children present in her grey eyes. “Kurosaki-kun, I think you should come to the fourth for a check up. Just to make sure you’re alright.”

While it was in the teen’s nature to refuse help even when actively bleeding, he surprised Grimmjow by nodding after a long moment. “Only if you or Hanatarou are the ones doing it. No one else.”

“I can absolutely arrange that. I’ll examine you myself in my office, so you’ll have absolute privacy.” Unohana nodded, reaching out to stroke Ichigo’s hair. Without turning around, she addressed the other captain that had come with her. “Isshin, you should head back to the meeting. No doubt Shunsui is quite worried.”

Grimmjow watched Ichigo’s father and saw the conflict in his eyes. Eventually the man heaved a sigh and nodded. “He’s my son, Retsu. You had damn well better take excellent care of him.”

The braided woman rose to her feet, giving Grimmjow the chance to stand with Ichigo in his arms. “You know I will, Isshin. I’ll treat him as if he were my own child.”

In Grimmjow’s arms, Ichigo shrugged and sighed as he curled into the hollow holding him. “You’d be a good step-mom.” Grimmjow couldn’t stop his own snort of amusement in time, though he was pleased to see Isshin relax a little at the comment. 

“Go get checked over, kiddo.” Shaking his head, Isshin smiled at Ichigo. “Grimm-kun, bring him back to the meeting with you after.”

“Planning on it.” Isshin gave a firm nod of acknowledgement before using shunpo to return to the meeting. Adjusting his grip on Ichigo, Grimmjow followed Unohana with his sonido as she shunpoed to the fourth division. 

Once they had arrived, Unohana led the two men to her office. “Ichigo-kun, take a seat in the chair there.” She walked behind her desk to grab a few things before turning back to her patient. “Grimmjow-san, please go ask Isane-kun to get Ichigo-kun something to eat. Some onigiri would be perfect.”

While he wanted to do it, Grimmjow was also reluctant to be so far from his mate at the moment. “You okay with that, Ichi?”

The teen hesitated for a long moment before nodding, looking up at Grimmjow with a faint smile. “Food sounds good. And onigiri won’t upset my stomach.”

“Alright, I’ll be back.” Stepping out of the room, he grabbed the nearest squad member and had them take him to Isane. The woman was just a bit taller than he was, and looked almost nervous to see him. “Hey, you Isane? Unohana said to have you get some onigiri for Ichigo.”

“O-oh! I can certainly do that. Where should I bring it to?” The woman had a mousy demeanor to her, but she agreed easily enough. 

“Unohana’s office.” Turning on his heel, he returned back to the office and slipped inside as the matronly woman finished listening to Ichigo’s heart. “There. Food is on the way.”

“Thank you, Grimmjow-san.” Unohana merely smiled at him as she picked up some sort of contraption that would not have looked out of place in Urahara’s lab. “Now to examine your reiatsu to make sure that it’s still stable.”

“You sure that’s safe?” Ichigo arched an eyebrow as Unohana moved the device in front of him. “That looks like one of Urahara’s creations.”

“It should. Kisuke invented this back when he founded the research department within the twelfth division.” As the machine beeped and whirred, Unohana paid close attention to the small screen on the device. Once it gave a final chirp, she returned it to the drawer of her desk. “Your reiatsu has not suffered any ill effects from your panic attack.” 

“Good, I didn’t think it had, but it’s nice to know for sure. Zangetsu always cuts off my access to my reiatsu when I have a panic attack or a PTSD episode. It’s a safety measure so I can’t lash out with it to hurt anyone around me.” Looking calmer, Ichigo smiled a little wider. 

“You’re coming to the rest of the meeting, too, by the way.” While he was glad that Ichigo was recovering so well, Grimmjow wasn’t quite ready to let the teen out of his sight.

“Only if I’m not disrupting anything.” Rising from the chair, Ichigo fussed with the long sleeves of his borrowed shirt. 

Taking the two wrapped onigiri that Isane brought, Unohana pressed them into Ichigo’s hands. “Don’t worry, Ichigo-kun. Kyouraku-soutaicho won’t put up any fuss at all about you being part of the meeting. By now, I’m certain Isshin has already convinced him to swap out the chair Grimmjow-kun had been sitting in for something more comfortable for the pair of you to share.”

“If you say so.” Looking doubtful, Grimmjow looked Ichigo over with a critical eye. “Think you can get there on your own now?”

“Am I capable? Yeah. Do I know how to get there? Hell no.” Snorting in amusement, Ichigo tried to fix the collar of his shirt.


	17. Chapter 17

Smiling, Grimmjow led the way back to the first division and into the meeting room again. “Sorry for the delay.” 

Behind him, Ichigo bowed deeply. “I apologize for disrupting your meeting.”

At the head of the table, Kyouraku smiled warmly at the pair. “Nothing to be sorry for, Ichigo-kun. Feel free to join us, your input will be very valuable.” Next to him, Harribel gave a single nod in greeting. 

As Grimmjow led Ichigo to where his chair had been, the arrancar couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. Where the standard and slightly uncomfortable chair had been there was now what looked to be an oversized armchair that could seat himself and Ichigo in relative comfort. “So, what’d I miss?” Sitting down, he pulled Ichigo down next to him and put an arm around the teen’s shoulders protectively. 

While Grimmjow was caught up on what he had missed, Ichigo just snuggled into his side and nibbled on the onigiri he’d been given. The teen did his best to provide perspective when needed, though was deferring to Chad and Tatsuki primarily. By the time they took a break for lunch, Ichigo was struggling to stay awake. Yawning, he stretched and leaned against Grimmjow’s side as they walked out into the sun. “Mm, I should go talk to Byakuya and Ukitake-san.” 

Putting an arm around Ichigo’s waist, Grimmjow frowned softly. “Want me to come along?” He knew the panic attack had been triggered by Rukia and Renji. The last thing he wanted to have happen was for Ichigo to have another when trying to talk about what he had been through.

“Might not be a bad idea, you were involved in a lot of what they were saying.” Ichigo looped his arm around Grimmjow’s waist as well, following after the two captains in question as they calmly walked toward the room that was being used as a dining hall for the meeting. 

Nodding at that, Grimmjow sat Ichigo down before loading up plates for each of them. While he was selecting the food, he quietly told Ukitake and Byakuya to sit with Ichigo as the teen needed to talk to them. 

At the table, Ukitake took his seat and smiled easily at Ichigo. “Ichigo-kun, how are you feeling? Your father mentioned a panic attack before he and Retsu-chan took off after Grimmjow-san earlier.”

“I’m doing much better now, thank you, Ukitake-san. But I do need to talk to you an Byakuya about Rukia and Renji. They found me and were talking to me before it happened, and what they said is what triggered it.” Smiling gratefully as Grimmjow put a plate of food in front of him, Ichigo gave the white haired captain a tired smile.

Sitting between his fellow captain and his cousin, Byakuya frowned softly. “I would very much like to know what it is they said to cause such a severe reaction. Clearly both of them need to be reprimanded, but the extent has yet to be determined.”

In between bites of food, Ichigo told the two captains what had occurred. “They have no faith in the treaty and think it’s a horrible idea. They both still think that all hollows are just mindless monsters, which makes me doubt how much respect they have for the Vizards who came back to take up their old ranks again. I owe the Vizards my life, I never would have gotten control over Zangetsu properly without their help. Plus, Lisa and Kensei’s son is Grimmjow’s boss at his part time job.”

A light flush darked Grimmjow’s cheeks at that comment. While he enjoyed the job, he didn’t feel the need to advertise the fact that he was working in a restaurant. “He sure doesn’t give a shit that I’m a hollow.”

Biting back a smile, Ichigo laid his chopsticks down and took a drink of the tea Grimmjow had brought him. “I know that soulmates are a human thing, very few of you guy get wrapped up in that. My dad was probably one of the first, or at least in a long ass time. And yeah, maybe the nature of our relationship did come down to choice on a certain level, but Rukia especially made it sound like it would be easy as pie to just end things with him and that I should find a normal girl and have a family. Even just ignoring the fact that Fate itself decided Grimmjow and I fit each other best out of all the souls in existence, it’s not that easy to just change my sexual orientation and be normal. Even if it was, the only two women who would ever understand me belong to other guys and are like sisters to me. I cannot be her definition of normal and still come visit like she said I would have to do. Not only do they both need serious lessons in personal conduct and sensitivity, I don’t want either of them near me or talking to me without serious apologies and me having time to heal and get past the wrong they’ve done to me.”

Byakuya and Ukitake looked at each other, both obviously containing their respective tempers as much as possible. The first to break the silence was Byakuya, and he turned in his seat to bow to Ichigo and Grimmjow both. “I cannot apologize enough for the actions of my lieutenant and my sister. Ukitake-taicho and I will be certain to punish them appropriately. Ichigo, you are family through our parents, and as the head of my clan I give you my word that I will right this offense to you and your partner. As one of the few shinigami who truly understands the full weight of having a soulmate, I am appalled that you have had to hear such insults. You and Jaegerjaques-san are welcome in my home at any time. And I will ensure that if you come to visit, Rukia will not be present to cause any further insult.”

“And I’ll speak with Shunsui about their thoughts on this treaty. It may mean needing to speak with all the lieutenants to see if this is a common sentiment. If it is, we should find out now instead of waiting for it to blow up in our faces later on. If the treaty is to truly work and be effective, leadership at all levels has to at least be willing to give it a solid chance.” Sighing as he finished his meal, Ukitake stood and gathered his dishes. “Thank you for telling us this, Ichigo-kun. I understand it was likely not easy for you, so I want you to know I appreciate your honesty. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go talk to Shusui.”

“Will you be joining us for the rest of today’s negotiations?” Stacking his own dishes, Byakuya looked at Ichigo curiously. There was a softness in his eyes that Grimmjow had never seen before, but he figured the noble really did care about the teen.

Ichigo shook his head slowly. “Nah, I think I’m going to go back to Grimmjow’s place and maybe grab a nap. I packed a few books to read, so I might see what the back garden is like there.”

Rising from his seat, Byakuya flashed a rare smile. “If it’s not to your liking, my home is just to the east. You are welcome to enjoy any garden on my estate, and I will send word back to let the staff know to admit you. And to keep my sister from you.”

Watching Ichigo thank the dark haired captain, Grimmjow waited until he and his mate were alone at the table again before speaking. “That wasn’t easy, but I’m glad you did it. And my back yard ain’t much. I’m not here enough to care about it, so it probably needs a lot of work. But a nap would probably do you a lot of good. I know you’re wiped out.”

Sagging into Grimmjow’s side, Ichigo sighed and nodded. “I feel like I should try to figure out where Kuukaku and Ganju moved their home to, but that’s more work than I feel up to doing.”

“Want me to take you back there so you don’t get lost? I got time before the meeting starts up again.” Grimmjow wrapped an arm around his mate and held him close. Moments like this only increased his urge to protect the ginger from the world. He knew Ichigo didn’t need that, at least not physically. But the teen’s heart certainly did need sheltering, and that was a job he would gladly take. Besides, no one else deserved to see Ichigo being so cute, that was for his eyes only.

Tipping his head back, Ichigo looked up at Grimmjow and smiled thinly. “Yeah, if you don’t mind. Maybe if I don’t feel like reading after I get some rest, I’ll work on your back yard. Being productive is nice.”

Standing up, Grimmjow pulled Ichigo from his seat as one of the unranked members of the first division came to take their dishes. “Alright, follow me.” 

Using sonido, the pair made it to Grimmjow’s little house in just about a minute. Taking his key out of his pocket, the arrancar unlocked the door and led Ichigo inside. As soon as they were both standing in the genkan, strong arms encircled the hybrid’s waist. “You have no idea how much I wish I could ditch the rest of the meeting today. I’d just stay here with you, driving you wild over and over until you passed out from the pleasure.” 

Ichigo’s hands found their way to the lapels of Grimmjow’s jacket, hanging on tightly as the turquoise haired hollow teased him with such delightful ideas. “I wish you could, too. But the meeting is important. And you know I’m not going anywhere until I absolutely have to.”

Sighing heavily, Grimmjow kissed Ichigo deeply for a long moment before pulling away with great reluctance. “I ain’t got a phone, but your dad should. Message him if you need me, alright?”

“I will. Make sure they aren’t going to work you to death or keep you away from home too much with this new treaty.” Though it was clear that he didn’t want to, Ichigo did let go of Grimmjow’s jacket. He even went so far as to try and smooth out any wrinkles. “Have Dad call me if I need to meet you guys anywhere for dinner, alright?”

With a nod, Grimmjow pressed his house key into Ichigo’s hand. “Lock up behind me, and take this if you go out anywhere.”

“Will do.” Ichigo’s smile was warm and happy, and Grimmjow carried that mental image with him all the way back to the meeting. It was a bit of a disappointment when he arrived that the comfortable seat had been replaced by the stiff chair he’d had at the start of the meeting, but he would live.


	18. Chapter 18

The afternoon hours were wiled away in argument. The shinigami wanted to save as many souls as they possibly could, preventing them from becoming hollows. The arrancar argued that would cause their entire society to crumble. Since they didn’t have any other food sources, lower leveled hollows relied on the consumption of pluses and other hollows to survive. Unless an alternative food source could be developed and brought to thrive in the harsh environment of Hueco Mundo, the birth of new hollows was critical to their existence. 

By the time negotiations were called to an end for the day, Grimmjow was ready to scream in frustration. The Soul Society and Harribel’s regime had not come to any common ground as of yet, meaning that he wasn’t liable to have any free time the next day to spend with Ichigo. Stretching out the kinks in his back, he sauntered over to Isshin’s seat as the captain of the eighth rose with a groan. “There a set plan for dinner that Ichi needs to know about?”

“Nah, not tonight. The girls and I agreed last night to let you two have tonight to yourselves. Tomorrow will be different, though. And breakfast will be at my division instead of the tenth. Same time as today.” Shaking his head, Isshin smiled at Grimmjow. “You and my son need your time as a couple, I know you don’t get much of it at home. And unless you’ve got enough to get an apartment after he graduates, I don’t see that changing in the near future.”

Shrugging, Grimmjow smiled a little bashfully. “Been trying for it. Almost have enough for a basic place for a year in advance. It ain’t like he and I need a lot of space, so long as he has a place to study. But we’ll be there for breakfast, Isshin.”

The smile on the shinigami’s face notched a bit wider. “I’ll see you in the morning. Go take care of my boy, Grimm-kun.”

Grimmjow gave the man a half-assed salute before using sonido to get back to his house. Even before opening the door, he could smell something amazing coming from inside. Checking to see if the door was locked, he was only a little surprised by how easily it opened for him. “I’m back.” Grimmjow called out, more because he knew he would actually get an answer than just mere habit. Shedding his boots and jacket, he walked into the main room and looked at the kitchen to the left. As he had suspected, Ichigo was there, cooking something that smelled like heaven. “Where did you even get ingredients, let alone pots and pans.”

Looking up from the pot he was stirring, Ichigo grinned. “Well, I went to see if Byakuya’s kitchen staff would loan me anything, and I ran into his grandfather. Stern looking guy, but pretty nice. He was very fond of Dad’s sister, and appalled that you had no cooking supplies on hand. So he sent a servant to buy brand new pots, pans, dishes, and assorted tools, as well as enough groceries to get us through the week. The produce came from the private vegetable garden in the estate, which I am welcome to whenever I am here and need anything that they might be growing. I can either come and pick it myself, or send a hell butterfly and the gardener will have a basket ready for me when I get there.” 

Having crept up behind his lover while Ichigo talked, Grimmjow wrapped his arms around the younger man and nuzzled his neck. “What are you making? It smells great.”

Baring his neck, Ichigo filled a small dish with the sauce from the pot. Blowing on it to cool the liquid down, he sipped it from the dish before reaching for a bowl of ground spice that Grimmjow didn’t recognize on sight. “I’m making a beef stew. Taste it and see if it needs a little more pepper?” Refilling the small dish, he blew on it for a moment before offering it to Grimmjow. 

While he was reluctant to move his face from the crook of Ichigo’s neck, Grimmjow did dutifully taste the stew. Contemplating the flavor for a long moment, he shook his head. “Nah, no more pepper. More onion would be good, though.” Duty done, he pressed his face back into Ichigo’s neck and took a deep breath. As good as the stew smelled, the hybrid smelled far better to him. “Breakfast is at the eighth with your dad and the brats, same time it was today.”

Having thankfully had more diced onion that hadn’t been put in the stew, Ichigo added the faintly yellow cubes and gave the pot a good stir before putting a lid on it. It wasn’t easy with how tightly Grimmjow was holding him, but he managed to turn around in the arrancar’s arms before wrapping his own arms around broad shoulders. “By the way, welcome home. I didn’t tell you that when you came in.”

Grimmjow grinned, leaning in to claim Ichigo’s lips in a hungry kiss. “I won’t hold it against you.” He wanted to bury himself in the warmth that Ichigo seemed to radiate from within, to bask in the glow of his mate being in such a great mood. But since there was food cooking, he also knew better than to distract the teen too much. He’d done that once, causing the fire alarm in the Kurosaki household to go off and condemning them both to dish duty for a solid month. 

Reaching up and running his fingers through Grimmjow’s hair, Ichigo practically purred into the kiss. When they finally parted, he brushed his lips over the lower half of Grimmjow’s mask. “How did the rest of the meeting go?”

“Ugh, like a bad hangover after drinking with Yoruichi.” The long fingers in his hair felt amazing, but the memory of the afternoon had him growling almost petulantly. “The shinigami don’t want any new hollows to form ever, but the residents of Hueco Mundo will starve to death. Unless some kind of food source for hollows that is able to thrive in the desert can be created, then nothing is changing because the desires of Soul Society aren’t compatible with my kind’s survival.” 

“And only arrancar level hollows can use Hat and clog’s rings, even assuming he could make enough for all of them. Plus, there’s enough of a food shortage in the world of the living that exporting food to Hueco Mundo isn’t a sustainable idea, either.” Letting his nails rake lightly over the base of Grimmjow’s skull, Ichigo frowned thoughtfully over what he had been told.

Grimmjow nearly purred and turned to putty in Ichigo’s arms, he was so weak to feeling his mate’s blunt nails scratching that particular spot. “That’s what Chad and...Tatsuki? I think that’s her name? Were saying. Chad’s pretty heavily on the side of Hueco Mundo, which could be more because he’s met us than because of Nel. But the girl was pretty solidly in favor of balance.” 

“Yeah, Tatsuki’s like that. And really, if it was feasible to never have another hollow be created ever again, Soul Society would have figured out how to make that happen eons ago.” Ichigo slowly pulled away from Grimmjow, turning just far enough to stir the stew again and make sure it wasn’t burning. “You go sit and relax, your afternoon was a hell of a lot more stressful than mine. I got some good tea from Ginrei-san, too, so I can make you some if you want. He didn’t give us any sake, seems like my cousins might get mad if he did that. And having met Kuukaku, I’d believe it.” Filling a kettle, he put it on an empty burner to start boiling before pulling out several tins of tea. “Got a preference?”

It didn’t take a genius to know he was being dismissed from the small kitchen, but Grimmjow didn’t mind. It wasn’t like he knew what to do in there aside from make coffee, anyway. Walking around the half wall, he pulled the table back away from where they had shoved it the night before and sat on one of the cushions. “Somethin’ relaxing. All the arguing has my head pounding.”

“Herbal it is, then. No caffeine in it.” From above Grimmjow’s head, he could hear the grin in Ichigo’s voice as the ginger fussed around in the kitchen. A comfortable silence fell over the room, filled with simmering stew and the whistling of the kettle as it came to a boil. Looking out the door to the backyard, that he had only just noticed was halfway open, the arrancar lost track off time. Before he knew it, the sound of dishes being set down on the table startled him out of his reverie. “And now food is served. Yuzu usually is the one who makes this, so I hope it tastes alright.”


	19. Chapter 19

Turning to sit properly at the table, Grimmjow took a look at his bowl and felt his stomach growl. It looked delicious, chunks of meat and vegetables he liked in a thick gravy, a cup of dark tea steaming next to it. “That doesn’t smell like herbal.” 

“It’s decaf, that’s close enough. I realized none of the herbal teas would go well with the stew, so I used a decaf black with fruity notes to it.” A mildly indignant blush sat high on Ichigo’s cheeks, but the teen did his best to act like it was his plan all along. After saying his thanks, the ginger started to eat the stew, looking pleased with his creation. 

Grimmjow had sampled Yuzu’s beef stew before, it was in fact one of his favorite dishes the girl made. One bite of Ichigo’s take on it had him singing a new tune so to speak. It was above and beyond what the young woman made in the past, and he wasn’t sure he would ever be able to feel the same about eating her cooking again after tasting this. “Ichi, this is amazing. It’s so much better than what your sister makes, I don’t even want to eat her version anymore. Next time stew gets made at home, I want this again.”

Ichigo preened at the praise as he sipped his tea. “I’m glad you like it. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out.” It made Grimmjow happy to see Ichigo pleased to that extent. He knew his mate enjoyed cooking, but wasn’t planning a career out of it.

“Hey, here’s a question for you.” When Ichigo looked up at him, Grimmjow put his spoon down and looked at the ginger seriously. “You love to cook. I mean, you get so happy when you’re in the kitchen and creating things. So why aren’t you studying that for university?”

Ducking his head, Ichigo chuckled. “I enjoy cooking for the people I care about. I didn’t used to do it unless Yuzu was sick, but when I was at my worst we realized if I was the one doing the cooking, I was more likely to actually eat a proper meal. But you know me, and you know how much I want to be able to help people. As a doctor, I can save lives and make people better and healthier. And then I can keep my cooking for the people I love.” 

Hearing that explanation made Grimmjow feel warm inside. Setting his spoon down, he got up and crawled over to Ichigo, pulling him into a kiss. “How are you this sweet? Seriously, you’re too fucking nice sometimes. But if it means I get to have a monopoly on eating your cooking, I won’t argue it.” He knew it was important to let Ichigo be his own person, but damn if Grimmjow didn’t want to hide the ginger away from the cruelties of the real world at times. “You know it just makes me want to hide you away and protect you from everything when you get like this.” His voice was low, murmuring in Ichigo’s ear before he reluctantly moved back to his own seat. 

Across the table, Ichigo was breathless, with color running high on his cheeks. Reaching for his tea with a shaky hand, he gave a weak glare at Grimmjow. “You’re an ass.”

Grimmjow snorted as he worked on devouring the rest of his bowl of stew, once again caught up in the wonderful medley of spices and herbs. “You should finish your dinner before it gets cold.”

Reaching for his bowl, Ichigo nearly inhaled his stew. Once the dish was empty, he scooted over to sit behind Grimmjow. Placing his hands on the arrancar’s shoulders, he began to massage the knots caused by the meeting away. Leaning in close, he murmured softly in Grimmjow’s ear. “I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you want to do that for me. There used to be a time when I would have taken you up on that in a heartbeat, I was a real crybaby when I was little. Tatsuki could tell you all about it. It makes me happy that you want to take care of me like that, I know you know I’m pretty shit at doing that for myself. So anytime you need to be away from home for treaty shit, as long as you can find a way to give me an hour’s warning, I’ll try to make sure you come home to a pot of stew every time. Deal?” 

Ichigo’s hands were warm on his shoulders, and the feeling of them working on his shoulders was amazing. And while he wanted to just bask in the sensation of that honeyed voice in his ear, Grimmjow was still paying close attention to each and every word. That promise made him smile, and he reached up to grab Ichigo’s left hand. Tugging gently, he pulled the ginger around and into his lap. “Ichi, I didn’t do shit to deserve you. But I can make that work. I’ve been settin’ money aside from the ramen shop, tryin’ to get enough for us to get a small place. I know ya love your family, but we could use our own place. You take care of me all the time, me takin’ care of you is just how it goes. You’re stuck with me for good, seein’ as how mortality ain’t much to you.” 

Leaning against Grimmjow’s chest, Ichigo laughed about the crack at his mortal life. “Oh, we have eons to annoy each other.” Threading their fingers together, he gave the arrancar’s hand a squeeze. “No one would ever believe me if I told them how sweet you are to me. You spoil me and take such good care of me, I wonder sometimes if I really deserve it. I’m trying to convince myself I do, because hell knows I know the shit I’ve seen. If I don’t believe that I’m worth more, I can’t take care of myself right. I cannot wait to have a place just the two of us in the living world. I don’t even care how big it is, as long as there is enough of a kitchen that I can cook. I like cooking for you, and it’s easy to make just enough for the both of.”

Grimmjow growled softly, grabbing his tea and knocking it back harshly. Once the cup was empty, he turned the entirety of his focus to Ichigo. “It’s a good thing it’s still early, or else we’d be missing breakfast in the morning.” Cupping the ginger’s face in his hands, he kissed Ichigo hungrily. As he slid his tongue between his mate’s lips, one of his hands strayed to the bottom hem of the oversized shirt and slipped beneath it. Ichigo’s skin was warm under his palm, inviting as it always was to him. “Need you, Ichi. Need you right now.”

Ichigo moaned at the huskiness of Grimmjow’s voice and arched into the hand on his ribs. “Good thing the futon is right behind you.” His own voice was low and rough with need as he reached for the zipper on Grimmjow’s shirt. “Want you, Grimm. Don’t make me wait.”

While it wasn’t easy with the position they were in, thanks to his superior strength, Grimmjow managed to turn them so that Ichigo was half on the futon and under him. With his weight on his knees, he slid the shirt up the ginger’s torso and got him to lift up just enough to get it off all the way. Once it was tossed to the side, Grimmjow let out a low growl of pure need before leaning in and trailing kisses along his lover’s neck. Letting his hands roam over Ichigo’s ribs, he mapped each place he’d sliced and bruised the last time they’d sparred over a week ago. Even with the healing spring they always used, he could still feel faint traces of his own reiatsu in each invisible mark. “How far, Ichi? Like yesterday? More? Less? I gotta know.” 

The questions seemed to barely get through to Ichigo as he arched up against Grimmjow. “More. I want everything you’ll give me.”


	20. Chapter 20

His hands fumbled for the buckle of the belts that were still slung low on Grimmjow’s hips, fingers brushing teasingly across the growing bulge in the arrancar’s tight black pants. “Why the fuck do you even wear this when you aren’t carrying your blade?” The words came out as a needy whine as he finally managed to get the blasted belt off and tossed aside. 

Grimmjow laughed softly as he scraped his teeth over the sensitive spot behind Ichigo’s ear. “You know it looks good on me.” Brushing his thumbs over Ichigo’s nipples, he smirked at the way the teen’s breath hitched in pleasure. “Scoot up to the pillows, Ichi. You’ll wanna get comfortable, it ain’t all sunshine an’ roses.” He didn’t want to hurt his mate, but a little discomfort was unavoidable. 

Doing as he was told, Ichigo took the opportunity to shed his pants and boxers as well. He hadn’t been wearing socks, so he was laid completely bare in Grimmjow’s bed. The way those electric blue eyes were staring at him, looking at him like he was both a piece of art and a meal to be devoured, had tremors rippling just under his skin. “Like what you see?” It was a corny thing to say, and a light blush spread clear to his chest.

“You know I do.” Grimmjow’s voice was low and hungry as he watched Ichigo. Rising to his feet, he stripped as quickly as he could. Once his own clothes had joined the growing pile on the floor, he sank to his knees between Ichigo’s thighs. “Fuck, you’re gorgeous.” 

Sitting up, Ichigo reached for Grimmjow. The way his eyes grew dark in want pulled a low growl from the arrancar’s chest. “How long are you planning on making me wait, Grimm?” It was more than obvious how turned on Ichigo was, and as much as even Grimmjow himself was eager to move things along, he knew they both had some nerves about the situation. Ichigo had obviously never been with anyone before, and none of Grimmjow’s partners had been people he cared about very deeply. 

Bringing one hand up to cup the back of Ichigo’s head, Grimmjow kissed his mate and lowered the ginger back down. At the head of the futon next to his small dresser was an inconspicuous box, and he reached for it with his free hand blindly. Once the lid was removed, he withdrew a small bottle, dropping that on the bed next to Ichigo. Breaking the kiss at last, he looked down into coffee colored eyes blown wide with lust and need. “You sure about this, Ichi? If it gets to be too much, you know I’ll stop.” 

The smile that Ichigo gave Grimmjow was like the sun returning after a hurricane. It was the kind of smile that never failed to knock the air from Grimmjow’s lungs whenever it was turned his way. “I’m sure. If it gets to be too much, I’ll tell you.” 

“It’s gonna be uncomfortable at points, but if it actually starts to hurt, you have to let me know. This ain’t about pain.” The growl was becoming ever present in Grimmjow’s voice as his own arousal grew. The hand that had been under Ichigo’s head slowly stroked down the ginger’s side, stopping just below his buttock. Hooking under a muscular thigh, he lifted Ichigo’s leg up and to the side just a bit. No doubt it would be an uncomfortable position to be in for long, but he didn’t plan for that to be an issue. “Hold your leg here for me, Ichi. And lift the other one, too.” 

Even though the muscles in his thighs twitched and trembled in anticipation, Ichigo did as he was told. Grimmjow was the more experienced one in the relationship, and though he had touched himself and fingered himself before, this was wholly different. The sound of the bottle opening had his breath quickening, and in moments there were cool, slick fingers stroking between his cheeks. “Grimm, fuck I can’t wait to feel you.”

Grimmjow had to bite the inside of his cheek to hold back his own whine of need as he slowly started working a finger into Ichigo. He was so hard it was almost painful, but he had an instinctual need to keep from hurting his mate. “Patience, Ichi. I know you’ve got Zangetsu’s regeneration abilities, but I already told you. This ain’t about pain. It’s about pleasure, and nothin’ but.” Which was only a half truth. While it was easy enough to say how much he wanted to protect and take care of the younger man, Grimmjow wasn’t the best at using his words to communicate how deeply he truly felt for Ichigo. It had come as a surprise how much he was able to feel and care thanks to what the hougyouku had done to help him evolve so far. “Gods, you’re so tight, Ichi. Just breathe for me, yeah? Gonna work in another finger now.” 

As a second finger pressed in and spread him open, Ichigo let out a high whine. “Grimm...I need more. Please, I can handle it.” His thighs were shaking from the effort of keeping his legs up, and it meant that he wasn’t able to rock his hips in time with the movements of Grimmjow’s hand like he clearly wanted to.

As he watched his fingers moving in and out, Grimmjow had to fight the urge to start stroking himself. He needed some stimulation of his own, but he also wanted to make this good for Ichigo. Patience was not easy, but he was certain he could wait. Until he heard that whine. “Yeah? You think you can take three of my fingers so soon? Been playin’ with yourself while I’ve been gone?” 

A shiver wracked Ichigo’s frame, causing his body to shift in just the right way to make the long fingers inside of him press right against his prostate. The ginger cried out in pleasure, a heavy flow of precum spilling from his cock in response to the stimulation. “Ah! Please, Grimm. Fuck me, please.” He was nearly sobbing as his thighs gave up and caused his feet to drop to the bed. With renewed traction and freedom of movement, Ichigo began earnestly fucking himself on the two fingers currently in him. 

Growling, Grimmjow moved his free hand to Ichigo’s hip and pressed down hard. He knew it would leave a bruise, and a primal part of him revelled in the thought. “Two fingers ain’t enough. I know you need it, Ichi. Fuck, I need you, too. But you need more than two fingers. You gotta be patient for me, gorgeous.” 

Tears of frustration and need pooled in Ichigo’s eyes and threatened to slide down his temples. He wanted so badly to move, Grimmjow could even feel it in his reiatsu. Huffing as he tried to calm his breathing, the ginger gripped the soft bedding in an attempt to ground himself. “Hurry up, then. I’m not gonna wait much longer, you know.” 

Grimmjow did know, in fact he was quite certain that if he didn’t hurry things along, Ichigo would flip him onto his back and ride him, whether the teen was stretched enough or not. And since that wasn’t his plan, he did as his mate asked and worked a third finger into the tight heat of Ichigo’s body. “Just keep on breathin’ for me. I’ll get ya ready as fast as I can.” 

Two fingers may have felt like not quite enough, but the third finger was more of a change than Ichigo had anticipated. The concentration it took to keep his breathing steady helped pull him away from the brink of orgasm. It didn’t take long for the pleasure to return to a maddening level, and he was trembling with the need to move and feel more. “Grimmjow...I need you. Now.” There was a demanding growl in his voice, part of his hollow leaking through his usual level of control. 

Knowing that there was no way his mate’s patience would last much longer, Grimmjow slowly withdrew his fingers. “Just a few more seconds, Ichi. I promise.” Squeezing out more lube, he stroked himself just enough to spread the slick substance over his length. Scooting a little closer, Grimmjow pulled Ichigo’s hips closer. “Just keep breathin’ for me.” Looking into the ginger’s eyes, Grimmjow lined himself up and pressed in. 

Sinking into Ichigo for the first time was an experience Grimmjow lacked the vocabulary to describe in either Japanese or Spanish. Instead, he just pressed his forehead to Ichigo’s shoulder and tried to remember how to breathe through the tight heat encasing his cock. Every exhale was a growl, he couldn’t even keep himself from making the sound anymore with all of his focus split between staying still enough to let his mate adjust to him and not coming the moment he could move. 

Beneath Grimmjow, Ichigo was almost gasping for breath through the intense pleasure of being filled by his lover. It was a little painful, but the pleasure was overwhelming what little pain there was very swiftly. Experimentally, he rocked his hips, letting out a reedy whine at the sensations that caused. It was a deliciously maddening feeling, and had him wanting Grimmjow to start moving. So in an effort to motivate the arrancar, he did it again.

“That better mean you’re ready for me to move, Ichigo. Because I can’t hold still anymore.” The words came out in a rough growl, a final warning before he moved. Pulling almost all the way out, Grimmjow rocked back in as slowly as he could manage. It was heavenly torturous to keep an even pace, but he knew it was important at the start. “Shit...you feel so good, Ichi. Gonna drive me mad.” 

Arms came up around Grimmjow’s shoulders, clinging to him like a lifeline. Dull nails dug into hard and battle earned muscles as Ichigo did his best to move with Grimmjow. The only word he seemed able to say was his lover’s name, gasping and moaning it like a mantra. Between their bodies, his cock remained untouched, which was fine. The way he was feeling, the way Grimmjow’s cock felt inside of him, was more than enough stimulation. 

Sweat beaded and rolled down Grimmjow’s back as he fought the urge to just rut into Ichigo like an animal. There would be time for that level of desperation later and in the future, but his control was balancing on a razor’s edge. Kissing and nipping along the top of Ichigo’s shoulder, he moaned at the way blunt nails scratched down his back and along his shoulder blades. What really made him snap, shattering his control over the pace of their movements, was the feel of powerful legs wrapping around his waist and pulling him just that much closer. Without really meaning to, Grimmjow bit hard enough to break the skin at the point of Ichigo’s shoulder. Burying his fingers in the plushness of the futon bed, he began snapping his hips forward, driving into his mate with all he had.

The first hard thrust tore a scream of pleasure from Ichigo’s throat. He writhed beneath Grimmjow, back arching in ecstasy as he did his best to match the arrancar thrust for thrust. Between sobs of his lover’s name, he gasped out a warning. “C-close...Grimm, so close…”

A nearly feral sounding moan rumbled in Grimmjow’s chest as he struggled to pry one hand free of the futon. Slipping it between them, he wrapped long fingers around the ginger’s cock and stroked. Clearly, Ichigo hadn’t been kidding about how close he was. One pump and Ichigo was screaming wordlessly as he came between them. He’d known the ginger was flexible, but he had just enough coherency to genuinely worry Ichigo would break his back with how much he arched it before the mind numbing pleasure erased the thought. Just a handful of thrusts later and Grimmjow’s own climax washed over him, leaving him shaking and damn near purring.

The next coherent thought Grimmjow had, he was collapsed on top of Ichigo and there were nimble fingers stroking through his hair. Smiling warmly, he lifted his head and looked down at Ichigo. Those caramel eyes still looked drunk with pleasure, and it gave Grimmjow quite the ego boost. “Need me to move?”

Ichigo shook his head before replying, his voice hoarse from screaming and moaning. “Is sex always that good?”

It was such an innocent question that Grimmjow was momentarily torn between wanting to laugh and wanting to kiss the ginger. Choosing the latter, he kissed Ichigo slowly and deeply, doing his best to distract his mate as he carefully pulled out. It wasn’t totally successful, the teen did let out a whimper from the sensation. “Nah, it only gets better from here.” 

As Grimmjow moved to lay down beside his mate, Ichigo rolled over to curl into the arrancar’s side. “Better? Shit, I’m not sure I’ll need med school. I’ll die from amazing sex before that.” 

Grimmjow barked out a laugh and pulled Ichigo as close as he could. “Then you’d be a spirit full time, and I’d really get to have my way with you.” He could see how tired the ginger was, and though there was still stew on the stove, he found he didn’t really care. “Sleep, we’re having breakfast with your family early tomorrow. You’ll need the rest to put up with your old man.”

Smiling softly, Ichigo nodded and slung an arm across Grimmjow’s stomach. “Mmm. Remind me to shower in the morning.” His words were starting to slur as sleep crept over him. Grimmjow just made an agreeing noise as he let his own eyes close.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another short one, but it's for a reason.

By the time morning arrived, Ichigo groaned and buried his face in the pillow as long fingers worked knots out of his hair. Grimmjow’s smooth voice was gentle near his ear as the sun filtered through the door that had been left open all night. “Hey, ready for that shower?”

The teen stretched and nodded, forcing himself to sit up. “Oh hell yes. I feel crusty.” His nose wrinkled as he slowly stood, feeling just how dirty he had gotten. 

Rising as well, Grimmjow took Ichigo by the hand and led him to the bathroom. Turning on the hot water, he looked over at the ginger. “How are you feeling? Sore at all?” There was a new bite shaped scar on his shoulder, and the arrancar was privately grateful that Zangetsu had healed it to that extent while also being glad that the spirit had let the mark remain. 

“Kind of, but it’s the good kind of sore. Like the day after we’ve had a really good spar, you know?”

Grimmjow did know, he loved getting to feel that after a good fight with his mate. “Oh yeah, that is a good kind of sore.” With a grin, he quickly washed up before pulling Ichigo under the water. Pressing a bar of soap into the teen’s hands, he started washing vivid ginger locks to help speed things along. “Gonna be another long day of meetings today. An’ I think Isshin is expecting us to socialize with your family after.”

Ichigo nodded as much as he could, visibly melting at the scalp massage that came with Grimmjow washing his hair for him. “Probably going to take us to meet Kuukaku and Ganju. Which is good, because I don’t know how to find them on my own.” 

Once the pair was cleaned up and dressed, they headed for the eighth. The division was bustling, and one of the lower ranked officers was quick to send them to the captain’s rooms. Once there, Ichigo artfully dodged his father’s sneak attack before heading the table laid out with breakfast food piled on it. “Can’t you save your messing around for later, Dad? Seriously.”

“Ichi’s right, too damn early for your shit.” Grimmjow took a seat and began to pile food on his plate. “We got another long ass day of boring as fuck meetings. What are you doing?” His question was aimed at Ichigo and his sisters as he started to eat. 

Yuzu poked at her food lightly, a blush on her cheek. “I think I will go to one of the other divisions. I think my soulmate might be there.”

“Oh, so you’re finally going to tell us the letters on your wrist?” A grin split Ichigo’s face as he leaned forward in his seat. In response, the light haired girl bared her wrist. Just below her left palm, in flowing script, were the letters YA. 

Looking at the letters, Grimmjow arched an eyebrow. He’d gotten time to know more than a handful of shinigami over the last week, and one immediately came to mind for him. “Ya want the 11th. Those letters belong to who I think, he’s the 5th seat.”

Ichigo looked at Grimmjow, surprised and denial in his eyes. “Yumichika? You think that’s his handwriting?”

“Yeah, and the last initial matches, too.” Nodding, Grimmjow pushed a few pickles toward Ichigo, knowing his mate was fond of them. 

It was clear the ginger was mulling the information over in his head. “I’ll show you how to get there. Karin, are you coming, too?”

“Tch, of course I am.” Grimmjow felt his lips twitch into a smile. Of course Karin would go with her twin, her own soulmate was going to be tied up in meetings all day. 


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starts in Ichigo's POV

There was a sinking feeling in Ichigo’s stomach as he and his sisters followed Ganju down to the main room of the Shiba house. Grimmjow was at his side, and he was gripping the arrancar’s hand as tightly as he could. The feeling of dread increased as they got to the bottom of the stairs and in front of the door. As the door slid open, he saw Kuukaku sitting on the same cushion he remembered from the first time he’d met her. But standing just a bit to the side, next to his father, was a face he never thought he’d see again. He was only faintly aware that his breathing was increasing in pace as his vision distorted around him. 

Suddenly Ichigo wasn’t underground in the home of his cousins, he was laying in wet grass with rain hitting his face. He wasn’t an eighteen year old man with a ridiculous level of power, he was a scared eight year old little boy, pinned under the corpse of his mother. He wasn’t even aware of the tears running down his cheeks, or the fact that his reiatsu was locked away. Distantly, he thought he could hear someone calling his name, but he couldn’t focus on it.

Beside Ichigo, Grimmjow was on the verge of panicking as well. He’d never witnessed such an intense flashback, and was worried about how to help. “Ichigo, please, look at me. Come on, gorgeous, you’re scaring me.” His hands were on either side of the teen’s face, holding his cheeks. It didn’t help that Ichigo’s lips were almost taking on a blue tint from lack of proper oxygen due to how badly the ginger was hyperventilating. 

Screwing his eyes shut, Ichigo finally felt the burning in his lungs. His stomach rolled and churned heavily, making bile rise in the back of his throat. Shaking hands came up to grip Grimmjow’s forearms, hanging on like his life depended on it. “I. I can’t. Breathe.” Forcing his eyes open, the world was still warping, but he was no longer staring up at the rain. He could see the beautiful blue eyes of his soulmate, and the mask fragment on the right side of Grimmjow’s face. 

“Remember that exercise? The four stage breathing? I’ll do it with you, so just copy me.” As soon as Ichigo nodded, Grimmjow began counting out breaths. Inhale to a count of four, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold for four again. He repeated the count over and over again until Ichigo’s breathing returned to normal. 

Feeling numb and soaked in sweat, Ichigo could feel his legs shaking and threatening to give out on him. “Need...need to sit.” He let Grimmjow lower him to the ground, not arguing at all as he was pulled into his lover’s lap and held close. Burying his face in Grimmjow’s neck, Ichigo was only vaguely aware that he was being wrapped not only in the arrancar’s arms, but his reiatsu as well. It was a comforting feeling, providing a sense of safety as he trembled.

It was only when a hand that couldn’t possibly belong to Grimmjow stroked his hair that Ichigo remembered there were other people in the room. The hand was too small to be his father’s, and the fingers were longer than either of his sisters’ were. Based on the growl vibrating through Grimmjow’s chest, it wasn’t someone his mate was familiar with, either. Lifting his face from where he’d buried it, Ichigo blinked slowly. He wasn’t sure he could trust his eyes, but he longed to. “M-mom?” HIs voice was small and timid, making Grimmjow growl more intently as strong arms held him closer.

Kneeling in front of Grimmjow, the ginger haired woman smiled gently. “My baby boy. Are you alright?”

The concern in her eyes drew a fresh flood of tears, and Ichigo’s breath hitched in his chest as he stared in disbelief. “How? You were...I mean, don’t…” Looking away from amber eyes that still haunted his dreams some nights, he turned to Grimmjow in confusion. “Once a hollow consumes a soul, it doesn’t come back, right?” His voice was desperate, broken in a way it hadn’t been in a decade.

Lifting a hand to Ichigo’s cheek, Grimmjow brushed away some of the tears with his thumb. “It’s really fuckin’ rare. But particularly strong souls can maintain their individuality within a hollow, After Gillian stage, the most power soul of the mix is the one that become predominant. Ain’t too much a stretch to think that soul could split off when the hollow is purified, and from everything you and Isshin have told me, she’s certainly got the power. ‘Sides, you and the brats got your stubborn streaks from somewhere.” Smiling softly, Grimmjow glanced at the woman kneeling in front of him. “And the resemblance is plain enough even Tousen woulda seen it.” 

Ichigo sobbed out a laugh, his shoulders shaking for a different reason than the panic attack he’d just been through. “Wasn’t he blind?”

“As a fuckin’ rock.” A toothy grin spread over Grimmjow’s face as Ichigo started to smile. 

Turning hesitantly away from Grimmjow, Ichigo looked at his mother again. “It’s really you? For real? What’s...what’s the last thing you remember?”

Masaki smiled warmly, scooting a little closer. The look in her eyes made it clear she didn’t quite trust Grimmjow, but she wanted so much to be closer to her son. “Your fourth birthday. You couldn’t decide what kind of cake you wanted to have, chocolate or pumpkin. I was trying to convince you to pick chocolate, since pumpkins were out of season. I didn’t want to just use a box mix, or just pumpkin flavored seasoning in a white cake mix, but you were just so indecisive.” She laughed softly, reaching out to stroke his hair. “You look so handsome, my sweet little boy.” There were tears welling in her eyes as she looked him over, taking in all that she had missed from him growing up.

Ducking his head, Ichigo wiped his nose on his sleeve. “And then I didn’t pick either one.”

“No, no you didn’t. You completely changed your mind and demanded cheesecake instead.” Masaki laughed brightly at the memory, though she grew somber quickly. “Your father told me that...that there was a hollow, and I was protecting you from it.”

All the cheer that Ichigo had mustered shattered. The hybrid curled into as much of a ball as he could manage while still in Grimmjow’s arms. “It had a lure that looked like a little girl. It was the rainy season, and the river was really full. I saw a little girl on the edge of the water, and I was worried she would fall in. I couldn’t tell that she wasn’t human. The next thing...I was looking up at the rain and you...your body was on top of me.” 

Before Grimmjow could tuck Ichigo’s head back against his shoulder, Masaki’s hands were on her son’s cheeks. She turned his face up to meet her own. “Ichigo, look at me.” Once she had his full attention, she smiled softly at him. “You are, and always will be my baby boy. I can see and feel how strong you are, I’ve heard about things that you’ve done, and I could not possibly be more proud of you if I tried. But even with all of that, if I saw you in danger, I would still do anything to protect you. I’m your mother, and that’s what moms do. We protect our babies, no matter how old or capable they are of taking care of themselves. I may not remember that day, but I know I do not regret protecting you. That’s my job, you know.”

There were a few beats of silence, then Ichigo was leaning halfway out of Grimmjow’s lap to wrap his mother in a hug as his shoulders shook from crying. “Don’t. Don’t die again. We need you. Karin and Yuzu need you, and Dad does too.”

Masaki held Ichigo close, rubbing his back the way she had when he had been just a little boy. “I’m not going anywhere, sweetie. I’m going to stick around for a very long time.”

“Y’know, this is real touching and all, but if you send him into another flashback that bad again, I’m gonna see if you still got any of those Quincy powers I’ve heard you had when you were still mortal.” There was a hint of a growl in Grimmjow’s voice as he narrowed his eyes at Masaki. It was no secret how much the entire Kurosaki family missed her, but Ichigo was the one he cared about the most. 

A dangerous growl that sounded like two voices came from Masaki’s shoulder as Ichigo pulled back to glare at his mate. HIs irises were burning gold, and black crept into the white of his eyes. “Like hell you will. You won’t lay a hand on my mother unless you want to pull back a bloody stump. Again.” 

The threat actually made Grimmjow grin before he carefully got up without totally dumping Ichigo on the floor. “You need to eat something, now that you’re feeling better. Should drink something, too.”

“Y’know, it would not actually kill you to admit you’re glad Ichi-nii is feeling better. Though you are right about what he needs.” Once Grimmjow was standing, Karin smacked him in the side lightly. She bit her lip, hesitantly edging toward Ichigo and their mother. “You...you don’t even remember having Yuzu and me, do you?”

Masaki shook her head, sadness evident in her eyes as she reached out a hand to the dark haired girl. “I don’t. And it breaks my heart that I have such beautiful daughters that I can’t remember.” 

“Well, ya got a lot of time to get to know them.” Grimmjow lightly shoved Karin forward before doing the same with Yuzu. As the Kurosaki children reconnected with their mother, he turned around to look at Kuukaku. The one armed woman had stayed silent at the head of the room, simply smoking her pipe and watching quietly. “Hey, this is your place, yeah? Is dinner about to be served? If not, point me to your kitchen so I can get Ichigo something to eat and drink.”

Kuukaku snorted in amusement as she looked up at Grimmjow. “Dinner’s in five. He’ll be fine. Still debating letting you be in here, though. I mean, having a hollow in my home, ain’t somethin’ I’m real keen on.” 

Scoffing, Grimmjow plopped down on the floor and laid down with his hands behind his head. “Heard it was Aaroniero was the one who killed yer bro. Don’ worry, he died in the war, so ya got yer justice. An’ if you want Ichi here, we come as a pair. ‘Less you want him to scratch his skin off.”

From the middle of her three children, Masaki laughed at Grimmjow’s comments. “He’s right, Kuu-chan. Humans need to have their soul mates near, or they start feeling an itch that ends up being bone deep. You’ve been asking me all week why I’ve been itching like I have allergies? It’s because I’ve been missing Isshin so much.” She fell silent for a long moment before looking at the still silent man standing to the side. “How are we going to make this work? You still need to be in the living world for our kids.” 

“We’ll figure it out. Somehow. Now that I know I get to have you back, I’ll do whatever it takes to have as much time with you as I can.” It was an oddly serious side of Isshin, and a glance at the twins told Grimmjow he wasn’t the only one feeling a little awkward about it. 

From her place tucked against Masaki’s side, Yuzu gave her most innocent look at her father. “Does this mean you’ll stop dramatically wailing to the giant poster of Mom on the wall whenever Karin or Oniichan tell you to stop being so silly?”

“Isshin, please tell me she’s kidding. You’re not really doing that, are you?” Masaki was fighting a grin, the corners of her lips were obviously twitching.

Grinning wickedly, Grimmjow rolled to his side and smirked at the ginger woman. “Oh, at least once a day. I ain’t got my phone handy, but Ichi has his. And there are pictures of the poster on it.” 

Never one to miss a chance to embarrass his father, quid pro quo was very much a thing in the Kurosaki household, Ichigo promptly pulled his phone from his pocket and showed the pictures to his mother. Masaki, sweet woman that she was, seemed to try her hardest to keep from laughing. Alas, she failed, and collapsed into a fit of giggles. A glance in Isshin’s direction showed that he was doing his best to look put upon, but the man was clearly far too happy to have his family intact again to be mad at them making fun of him. “Now he’ll just save it all up and come wailing to you in person.”

Masaki grinned and hugged her son close, only faintly noticing that Ganju was coming back in the room with a cart covered in trays of food. “Well, it wouldn’t be anything new. He’s always been a dramatic sort. But it looks like dinner is here, so we should eat.” 

Pulling away reluctantly, Ichigo nodded. “I am hungry, and a little thirsty.” Taking a tray from his cousin, he gave Grimmjow a look that had the hollow coming to sit next to him. Leaning over, the ginger placed a light kiss on the exposed teeth of Grimmjow’s mask. “Thank you for helping me out of my flashback. They don’t happen very often, so I know it can be scary.”


	23. Chapter 23

Grimmjow put an arm around Ichigo, pulling the younger man a little closer. “Yeah, it was pretty freaky, but you know I got your back when your brain is pullin’ shit on you.” The smile Ichigo gave him in response pulled the arrancar in like a magnet, pressing their lips together in a slow kiss. It was only the knowledge that they were not alone and that Ichigo needed to eat and drink something after the earlier episode that kept him from deepening the kiss. 

When he pulled back and picked up his chopsticks, Grimmjow could feel eyes boring into him. Looking up, he saw Masaki giving him a death glare. “What?”

Hard amber eyes analyzed him critically. “Just because you are my son’s soulmate, does not mean I approve of the fact that you are a hollow. I am and always will be a Quincy, even now that I’m dead.”

“I ain’t worried. I know what I am, and I know more about your son than you do. I know you’ll learn an’ catch up on that, but it ain’t gonna change a damn thing about my relationship with Ichi.” He returned her glare with a placid look. It wasn’t as though protective family members were anything new. 

Before Ichigo could come to Grimmjow’s aid, Isshin beat him to it. “I know it’s strange and even a bit unnerving to have a hollow in the family. But Grimm-kun not only takes care of Ichigo, he helps out around the house and helps the girls when they need it, too. Besides, we were quite the controversy ourselves.” 

Reluctantly, the woman smiled. “Souken-san was properly horrified that I wasn’t actually going to marry his son.” 

“And that your soulmate was an evil Shinigami.” Isshin grinned and lightly bumped his wife with his shoulder. Kuukaku and Ganju both snorted softly, still fairly anti-Shinigami themselves.

Smiling up at her husband, Masaki leaned against Isshin’s side. “It did mean Ryuuken got to marry Kanae-chan, though. How are they, by the way? And Toshiya-kun?”

“Kanae also passed away, the same day you did, as a matter of fact. It turns out, the original Quincy rose to power that day, and stripped the power of most of the surviving Quincy in the world. If it hadn’t been for the fact that you were under attack from a hollow, you would likely have survived like Toshiya-kun did. But you remember how sickly Kanae-san was after her son was born?” Isshin’s voice held none of its usual mirth, remaining solemn as he reached up and brushed the backs of his fingers over Masaki’s cheek. “Her system couldn’t handle the loss of her powers. And then about a year later, Souken was ambushed and abducted by some Shinigami under the orders of a captain who still has his rank. He’s the kind of scientist that would have made Nazis squeamish. I don’t know the full details of what he did, but I do know Souken didn’t survive it. And Ryuuken and Uryuu-kun really don’t have a great relationship.”

“Yeah, well, he’s got no one to blame but himself for that. And Ishida is better off with only minimal interaction with his father.” Ichigo stabbed one of his pickles just a little too violently to be casual.

“Pretty sure your pickle is already dead, Kid. You don’t need to stab it.” Ganju arched an eyebrow at Ichigo, not entirely sure how to behave around the teen anymore. 

Cackling, Kuukaku knocked back a cup of Sake and poured herself more. “Leave him be, Ganju. Ichigo can be as pissed about it as he wants to be.” She had hesitated longer than she should have, as though she hadn’t remembered his name.

Isshin narrowed his eyes at his niece with a bit of a grin. “Forgetting your cousin’s name already, Kuu-chan? Maybe you should cut back on the Sake.”

“I didn’t forget his name, Uncle.” There was a petulant tone in her voice as she flipped Isshin off.

“I know what happened.” Ichigo grinned. “You almost called me the wrong name. Didn’t you?” 

“It’s not my fault you look so much like him.” The alcohol induced blush on Kuukaku’s cheeks darkened. 

Rolling his eyes, Ichigo shook his head. “Not my fault, either. Just genetics.” 

Grimmjow looked at Ichigo in confusion, mirrored by both of the twins across from them. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“You watch your language around my daughters!” Masaki barked at him, causing Grimmjow to roll his eyes.

Shaking his head, Ichigo laughed softly. “Kuukaku and Ganju’s older brother looked a lot like me. Just with black hair, I think.”

“And blue eyes. Like my sister and mother.” Isshin smiled at the memory. “Bya-kun didn’t inherit much of the Shiba looks.”

“He sure as shit got our stubborn streak.” Cackling, Kuukaku poured a cup of Sake each for Ichigo and Grimmjow. 

Grimmjow took the drink with a grateful nod, sipping it casually. Ichigo, on the other hand, looked at the drink and didn’t touch it. “You know I’m not old enough to drink, right?”

“How many times have you almost died? How many times have you been doing things no kid your age should? You’ve earned your liquor, Ichigo. Don’t complain about it.” Ganju just shook his head before getting up. The jug was almost empty, so it was time to fetch another. 

Looking at their brother, Yuzu and Karin shared a look before Karin grinned at her brother. “Ganju-nii is right. Besides, the laws here are probably way different about drinking ages.”

Beside her, Yuzu nodded. “It’s true. Rangiku-san said the legal age is sixteen in the Rukon districts, and you’re older than that.”

Seeing how unsure Ichigo looked, Grimmjow brushed their shoulders together lightly. “You don’t have to drink it if you don’t want to. Jus’ because yer related to them doesn’t mean you have to let them pressure you into a damn thing.” 

Ichigo exhaled softly, giving the small cup one more fishy look before picking it up. He took a small sip of the Sake, and made a face as it went down. “That’s...different.” 

“It takes some getting used to. Plus, this stuff is strong. Like, drinkin’ with Yoruichi strong.” Grimmjow was still sipping his Sake between bites of food, making sure to pace himself. 

Kuukaku cackled wildly at that. “She an’ I do drink t’gether a lot. This is one o’ her favorites.” 

Nodding sagely, Grimmjow took Ichigo’s Sake cup from him. “Way too strong for startin’ out. An’ you’re already dehydrated as is.”

“Go for it.” Ichigo didn’t argue at all, reaching instead for the tea that he was brought. 

As they continued to eat, Karin and Yuzu nearly talked Masaki’s ears off as they told her all about their lives. Ichigo watched happily, leaning against Grimmjow as the arrancar got more and more intoxicated. It was amusing how much more affectionate the blue haired man was, ending up laying his head in Ichigo’s lap as color ran high in his cheeks. Reaching up, Grimmjow’s hand awkwardly made it to Ichigo’s hair. “Yer hair is so soft. It looks all pointy ‘n shit, but it’s not.” 

Ichigo laughed, shaking his head fondly as he looked down at Grimmjow. “You are drunk.”

“Yes. But I’m still right.” Electric blue eyes burned into Ichigo’s own as Grimmjow stared at him. “Wish I could fix yer brain. Hate when it makes you sad.” 

His breath caught in his throat as Ichigo swept a few stray hairs from Grimmjow’s brow. “I wish it was that easy. But you do a lot to help when it’s rough. And you know how much that means to me.”

It was easy to forget that they weren’t the only ones in the room as Grimmjow pushed himself back into a sitting position and kissed Ichigo. It was sloppy, tasted of Sake and tea, and had them both in less than comfortable positions. When they eventually parted, Grimmjow licked his lips and tried to ignore how the world seemed to spin and tilt around him. “I dunno ‘f I can make it to th’ house tonight.”

There was a beat of silence before Ichigo pulled him into a hug and snickered against his shoulder. “You are way too drunk to be walking anywhere. And I don’t know the way well enough to get us there.”

At the front of the room, Kuukaku had her prosthetic arm in hand waving it around so the part that attached to her stump was to the room. She barked an order for the servants to start preparing futons for the night. It was growing increasingly late, and it had been an emotional evening for everyone. Especially since Isshin and Grimmjow needed to be sober and alert come morning. 

By the time everyone had settled in for the night, wearing borrowed yukata and bedded down in futons that were only a little musty, Grimmjow had not gotten any less affectionate. He ended up laying his head on Ichigo’s chest, like he had the first and second nights they’d shared a bed. The soft snoring growl he let out as soon as he was comfortable made the ginger smile and lulled him to sleep.


	24. Chapter 24

Come morning, there was a vast spread of food laid out for them. Plenty of water and strong tea was served, and Grimmjow groused through the meal over the lack of coffee. He’d become very spoiled with the foreign drink that seemed to only be available in the living world. “Ain’t looking forward to today.”

“Mm, it’s just going to be a lot of the same, over and over again.” Isshin sighed, leaning sideways to rest his head on Masaki’s shoulder. “I’d much rather spend the day with you, I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you, too, dear. But you have work to do. And this way I can spend time with the kids.” Masaki patted her husband’s knee, smiling warmly at him. “Kuu-chan said that she’ll even give us some money to go shopping so they can have clothes to keep on hand here.”

If he had to pick between shopping and boring meetings, Grimmjow knew he would pick meetings in a heartbeat. “You have fun with that.” 

At his side, Ichigo barked out a laugh. “Oh, come on. You’ve been along shopping with my sisters before. They helped you pick out your clothes back home.”

“You even managed to have fun that day.” Yuzu chimed in smiling as she ate her own breakfast.

Grimmjow frowned indignantly, not wanting to admit that he had enjoyed it. “Only ‘cause of the punks that tried to mess with you two that I got to pound on.”

“Yeah, we probably won’t run into any of that today. I imagine we’ll be keeping to the first and noble districts, especially since Zangetsu is still at the house.” Shrugging, Ichigo finished his breakfast and set his chopsticks down. “Besides, it’s not like I have any other pressing plans. I know Kenpachi will want to spar with me at some point, and I am looking forward to that. But he’ll be in the meeting with you all day.”

“Oh, like you’re helpless without your blades. The hell you been workin’ on with Ishida and yer therapist once a week, after all?” Scoffing, Grimmjow drank the rest of his tea with a grimace. “Comin’ for lunch later?” 

“Naturally.” Leaning over, Ichigo bumped his shoulder against Grimmjow’s. 

Hours later, the majority of the Kuroskai family made their way to the first division. It had been a great morning in Ichigo’s opinion. He’d been out shopping with his mother and sisters, enjoying bonding time with them. Using the money that Kuukaku had insisted belonged to them, he and his sisters had bought some clothing to have on visits so they didn’t have to pack every weekend. It was quite unanimously decided that the living members of the Kurosaki family would be spending their weekends in Soul Society to be a family like they hadn’t had a chance to do for so long. Though he was weighed down with most of the bags, Ichigo was in a great mood. And the fact that he was going to see Grimmjow for lunch only made it better. 

Part of the reason he was in such a good mood was the fact that he was going to be able to shock and surprise his mate. While they’d been out shopping, Ichigo had picked up a very nice kimono and had changed into it. He knew that the only traditional clothing Grimmjow had ever seen him in was his Shinigami uniform, so it was going to be quite a change. The kimono was a crisp, charcoal grey with a bamboo pattern woven in dark forest green all along the bottom. Matching it with a black obi that was covered in the Shiba family crest, he felt good. The clothing made him feel confident, and he carried himself in a way that showed it.

When the meeting room doors opened, Grimmjow was one of the first ones to emerge. Ichigo knew the arrancar had sensed him coming, so it wasn’t a big surprise to him. Setting the bags in his hands down, he smirked when Grimmjow’s pace slowed to a stop a few feet away. Blue eyes raked over him from head to foot. “Do I need to turn around in a circle so you can see the whole thing?” 

A soft growl slipped from Grimmjow’s lips as he reached out and grabbed Ichigo by the wrist. Pulling the young man close, he murmured something that only the ginger could hear. “I don’t know what I like more, the way that looks on you or knowing how easy it would be for me to fuck your brains out without even needing to get you naked.”

A shiver rippled down Ichigo’s spine at the words. Picking at invisible lint on Grimmjow’s jacket, he looked up at the arrancar through his lashes. “Don’t suppose you have the afternoon free, do you?”

Grimmjow just sighed dejectedly and shook his head. “No. It’s all still not going well. So it’ll be another full day again.” 

Pouting a little, Ichigo shrugged. “Damn, well that sucks. We’re doing dinner with my family again, as long as you’re fine with that. But no complaints if we choose to stay at your place instead of Kuukaku’s.”

Smiling at that, Grimmjow gave him a quick kiss. “Easy enough to do. Let’s go get some lunch.” Walking over to Masaki and the girls, Grimmjow just picked up the shopping bags. “You hungry?”


	25. Chapter 25

Masaki looked actually impressed at how Grimmjow had picked up the bags without a word. “Starved. And eager to meet Karin’s soulmate.” She smiled at the arrancar and hooked her arm through his. “I didn’t know hollows could eat regular food.” 

“Yeah, well, most can’t. Got a fancy new thing from Urahara, experimental shit.” Holding up his right hand, he indicated to the silver band around his thumb. “Move it to my left hand and I look human. Got a job an’ everything.”

“He works as a dishwasher and a prep cook at a ramen shop.” Yuzu helpfully chimed in as they claimed a table. Unlike the day before when the lunch had been a buffet, there were unseated officers coming around and setting out bentos filled with steaming delicacies. 

“Really? I wouldn’t think you’d like a job like that.” Masaki’s voice carried her shock as Ichigo pulled his mother’s chair out for her. 

Taking his seat, Grimmjow shrugged a little sheepishly as Isshin and Toshiro walked over. “It’s good money, and my boss knows about hollows and soul reapers so I don’t gotta worry about shit like that.” 

Taking his own seat, Ichigo nodded a greeting to his father and Toshiro as they sat down. “Dad’s new lieutenant is actually Grimm’s boss’s mom.” 

Before Masaki could react to that, Toshiro furrowed his brow and beat her to it. “Yadomaru has a kid?”

“With Kensei.” Ichigo grinned, clearly taking joy in warping the vertically challenged captain’s brain. “And they have grandkids.” 

“I think you’re breaking Toshiro’s brain, Ichi-nii.” Karin flashed her soulmate a sympathetic look before attempting to glower at her brother. 

Grimmjow actually had to stop eating for a moment as he laughed at the look on Ichigo’s face. “He’s havin’ too much fun ta stop, kid.” 

“Son, you should be nice to Shiro-chan. He’s pretty much already part of the family.” Isshin did his best to look stern, but the corners of his mouth were clearly twitching with mirth. 

The oh so hated nickname had Toshiro’s eyebrow twitching violently as he glared at his former captain. “Do. Not. Call. Me. That.”

“Aw, but you used to love that nickname.” Isshin sulked, pouting comically.

There was a visible vein pulsing in the white haired youth’s forehead. “I’ve never liked that nickname. Ever. You know this.” 

Ichigo snorted at that. “Yeah, well, he also knows I hate it when he tries to sneak attack me when I walk in the door. But that’s never stopped him from doing it.”

Toshiro nearly dropped his chopsticks. “He does that to you, too?”

“What do you mean?” Grimmjow watched as Ichigo’s eyes widened in shock.

“When I was his third seat, Shiba-taicho used to always attack me as a form of greeting. Matsumoto can vouch for it, because she was his lieutenant as well. When he left, I got promoted to his position.” Shaking his head, Toshiro just looked at Isshin with exasperation

Grimmjow couldn’t help laughing at that. He had absolutely no doubt that Isshin had indeed acted so wildly with his former subordinate. “At least yer used to it already.”

After a few moments, Ichigo laughed as well, shaking his head as he finished his lunch. “Yumichika won’t be. But hey, he’s in Kenpachi’s squad.” 

Across the table, Isshin arched an eyebrow at that. “So Yuzu’s soulmate is in the eleventh?”

“Confirmed it yesterday. He’s the least overtly bloodthirsty member of the division that I’ve ever met, puts a lot of pride into his looks. But he can be just as vicious as the rest of them if you push him.” Laying down his chopsticks, Ichigo rested his elbows on the table. “So a lot like Yuzu, really.” While most people would assume the blond twin was far from capable of the levels of sass and violence that her siblings leaned toward, those that knew the family well knew that she just took care to hide those sides of herself better than her siblings.

“It helps that he knows that Ichi-nii isn’t the only one who’ll beat him into a pulp if he makes Yuzu cry.” At Toshiro’s side, Karin smirked knowingly, leaning a little toward her own soulmate. 

“As much fun as it is to watch you all be violent and overprotective of each other, the meeting is going to be starting again soon, so we should head back in.” Toshiro rose from his seat, though Grimmjow caught the smile he’d had on his face the whole conversation. The small captain was obviously enjoying being part of the Kurosaki insanity. 

“Well, let’s plan on dinner with Kuu-chan and Ganju-kun. You’re invited, too, Toshiro-kun.” Masaki beamed brightly, not wanting anyone to feel left out 

As he rose from his seat, Isshin leaned down to give his wife a kiss. “I’ll make sure he comes along. You and the kids try to keep out of trouble?”

“What are you talking about, Dad? We never get into trouble.” Ichigo gave his best innocent look to his father, but Grimmjow let out a peel of laughter, ruining the effect. Ichigo rolled his eyes and smacked the arrancar in the side. “Good luck with the meeting.”

“Thanks. Have fun with your family.” A warm smile crossed Grimmjow’s face as he looked down at Ichigo. Giving the ginger’s shoulder a squeeze, he followed Isshin and Toshiro back toward the meeting.


	26. Chapter 26

Several hours later, Grimmjow trudged down into the basement of the Shiba house with Isshin and Toshiro. The afternoon had been exhausting, but they were at least closer to some kind of resolution. The sound of laughter greeted the trio as they entered the main room, seeing the Kurosakis all nearly in tears as they laid on the ground cracking up about something. 

“Tellin’ the good stories without us?” It always made Grimmjow feel good to see Ichigo laughing, knowing only too well how many bad days the teen had been through and survived. 

Rolling onto his back, Ichigo looked up at Grimmjow. “Only the best. Welcome back, dinner’ll be ready soon.”

As he sat on the floor, he pulled Ichigo into his arms quite happily, reveling in the skin contact and warmth that Ichigo always seemed to exude. “Good, ‘m starved.” 

Several hours later, once dinner was over, and he was quite happily full, Grimmjow walked leisurely toward his small house with Ichigo at his side. He wanted to rush back, have his wicked way with his mate all over again, but the sunset kept distracting him. There were no sunsets in Hueco Mundo, and the ones in Karakura were usually obscured by skyscrapers. Feeling a warm hand slip into his own, he happily laced their fingers together. It occurred to him that Shinigami really didn’t understand hollows very well. They thought his kind to be emotionless monsters, incapable of feeling anything but rage or hunger. In truth, hollows felt more intently than any other sentient beings, with no natural way to regulate the intensity of the emotions. 

“How did the afternoon go?” Ichigo’s voice cut through Grimmjow’s thoughts, bringing him back to the moment. 

“Ah, wasn’t too bad. Your mom and sisters wear you out shopping?” Looking over at Ichigo, Grimmjow was struck for a moment by the way the fading sun highlighted the other man’s features. “That outfit does look amazing on you, you know.” 

Ichigo’s smile, bright as it always was to him, made Grimmjow feel like the very air around them warmed up a few degrees. “I’m glad you like it. I have a few more that I picked up. This way, I won’t always have to pack every time we come to see Mom. I saw a few I thought you’d like, too, but I wanted to let you pick them out yourself.” 

“Yeah? Well, we’re taking tomorrow off to give everyone a break. And, I think, to give the captains a chance to check in with their squads to make sure there won’t be any kind of uprising from the lower ranks over the treaty.” They had finally made some progress on terms that would keep all three worlds balanced and happy, so it was a good time to break and check on the subordinates.

Leaning a little closer, Ichigo gave Grimmjow’s hand a squeeze. “So I get you all to myself tomorrow?”

“Depends. Got plans with your family?” The idea of getting to sleep late without needing to get up to go to work, or to boring meetings, made Grimmjow very happy. Sure, the futon in his small cottage wasn’t as nice as their bed in the Kurosaki home, but having Ichigo there made it much nicer. 

“Not at the moment.” As they came to the door of the cottage and Grimmjow unlocked the door, Ichigo released the arrancar’s hand and boldly grabbed his ass.

The hand on his ass surprised Grimmjow, but he was not by any means opposed to it. Pushing the door open, he let himself get a little silly. Turning around, he scooped Ichigo up into his arms and carried him through the door.

Laughing as he made sure his head didn’t hit the doorframe, Ichigo waited for Grimmjow to set him back down. “Did you seriously just carry me across the threshold like we’re a pair of newlyweds?”

Locking the door behind them, Grimmjow couldn’t help grinning broadly. He counted himself lucky to have Ichigo as his mate, allowing him to feel a level of joy that should have been lost to him a long time ago. “Yeah, maybe. Thought I’d take advantage of all this time we get to have on our own.” Shrugging out of his jacket, he hung it up next to the door. “Still looking forward to making you look completely wrecked.” Pulling Ichigo close, he kissed the ginger hungrily. 

Leaning into the kiss, Ichigo moaned. “Do it. You made me feel so good last night, I want to feel like that again.” 

Grimmjow wasted no time, kicking his boots off as fast as he could. Scooping Ichigo up in his arms again, he nearly threw his mate to the bed before descending onto him. It was a challenge to open the front of the kimono without removing the obi, but he was determined. “Mm, you know what would be real fuckin’ hot?” Once his hands got under the kimono, he instantly reached up to pull Ichigo’s boxers off. Tossing the article of clothing to the side, he leaned in and began laying kisses along a tanned neck.

Arching up into the attention being paid to his neck, Ichigo spread his legs as much as he could. The upper part of his kimono was also working itself loose, exposing the scar in the center of his chest. “Mm...tell me?” Reaching for Grimmjow, he tugged the zipper of the sleeveless black shirt down and tried to push it off the arrancar’s shoulders. 

Letting the shirt fall down his arms, Grimmjow tossed it aside. “You riding me. Wanna see you bouncin’ on my cock, still wearing this kimono so you can make a mess of it and yourself.” 

Ichigo let out a needy whine, his hips rocking up against nothing since Grimmjow was kneeling above him. “Fuck...yes. Want that.” 

Smirking, Grimmjow quickly ditched his belt and pants before reaching for the lube again. “Think I’ll get you ready for me like this, though. You do look goddamn sexy under me.” 

Spreading his legs eagerly, Ichigo grinned up at Grimmjow. “Do it. Your fingers are so much better than my own…”

“Ah, so you did play with yourself while I’ve been busy workin’. If you were so desperate to have me fuck you, ya shoulda said.” A sultry gleam shone in vibrant blue eyes as Grimmjow opened the lube and squeeze some onto his fingers. 

“Like you weren’t jerking off without me.” Ichigo’s words came out in a gasp as Grimmjow immediately began working a finger in. Eager for more, he made himself relax at the intrusion to spur the arrancar on.

Leaning in close, Grimmjow smirked as he nipped Ichigo’s lower lip. “Never is the same without you.” He could feel that Ichigo was still somewhat loose from the night before, so started working in a second finger almost immediately. “Lookin’ forward to feeling you again. Fuck, you felt so good around me last night, Ichi.”

A needy moan fell from Ichigo’s lips as he writhed on the long fingers working him open. “Gimme more...I need you, Grimm.”

“Soon, gorgeous. Real soon. Just gotta make sure you’re ready for me.” Already, Grimmjow’s voice was being overtaken by a needy growl. Slowly, he worked Ichigo open enough to add a third finger. “Almost there, Ichi.”

“Please...can’t wait much more.” Whining, Ichigo blinked back tears that were welling in his eyes. It was clear that he was running out of patience, which Grimmjow realized should not have been as much of a turn on as it was. 

With great reluctance, Grimmjow withdrew his fingers from Ichigo. Between his thighs, his cock throbbed eagerly, and for a moment he thought about just fucking the ginger into the mattress again. But the desire to watch Ichigo take control of his pleasure won, encouraging the arrancar to roll over onto his back. Before he could reach for the lube to coat his cock, Ichigo was straddling his thighs with the small bottle in hand. Blue eyes darkened and watched through hooded lids as Ichigo poured some of the slick substance into his hand and began to cover Grimmjow’s cock with it. “Now who’s teasin’ who, Ichi? Sittin’ on my lap, lookin’ so hungry for my cock.” 

Grimmjow was certainly right about one thing, Ichigo was indeed hungry for his lover’s cock. Once it was covered in lube, he had to force himself to stop stroking the arrancar just for the way he felt in the hybrid’s hand. Lifting himself up on his knees, Ichigo scooted forward until he was above Grimmjow’s hips. While he may have lacked practical experience, he’d seen enough adult movies to know what to do next. Reaching behind himself, Ichigo lined Grimmjow’s cock up until he felt the head catch on his entrance. Once he was confident about placement, he let go and allowed gravity to help him take the full length in. 

While it was a hell of a challenge to be patient and let Ichigo go at his own pace, Grimmjow knew it was more than worth the wait. The look on his mate’s face as the ginger sank down on his cock was enough to make him wonder if Ichigo was having a religious experience. Sliding his hands up pale thighs, he rested them at the sharp bones of Ichigo’s hips. With his thumbs rubbing soothing circles into the soft skin, Grimmjow focused on breathing and keeping still. “You’re in control now, Ichi. Move whenever you’re ready.” 

Nodding in response to Grimmjow’s words, Ichigo panted softly as he caught his bearings. Grimmjow felt so big inside of him, almost bigger in this position than he had the night before. Experimentally, he leaned forward just enough to brace his hands on either side of the hole in the arrancar’s stomach for balance before using the muscles of his thighs to lift himself up. The feeling of pulling off of Grimmjow’s cock made him whine softly, and his legs shook as he lowered himself back down. Slow could be nice, but it certainly wasn’t what he was in the mood for. 

While Ichigo worked his way up to a rhythm that had nothing but whines and broken moans of his name falling from irresistible pink lips, Grimmjow was doing everything he could to just help his mate balance by holding his hips. The moment calloused fingers moved on his stomach and stroked the edge of his hole, Grimmjow’s hips bucked up into Ichigo before he could help himself. Apparently Ichigo liked that, as he let his fingertips rub that sensitive ring more deliberately. Letting out a low growl, Grimmjow’s grip tightened as he shifted his legs up just enough to plant his feet into the mattress. With renewed leverage, he matched Ichigo thrust for thrust. The noises that the ginger let out, why he’d never heard such beautiful music. And there was no way he would be able to enjoy wringing them from his mate in the living world, Isshin and the twins didn’t need to hear how his name sounded falling from Ichigo’s lips as the younger man writhed on his cock. 

Ichigo just seemed to cling to him as Grimmjow rocked up into his tight heat. “Fuck...getting close, Ichi.” As much as he wanted to move his hands and touch his mate all over, it was taking every bit of Grimmjow’s control not to flip them over so he could rut into Ichigo like a beast in heat. 

Whining softly, Ichigo managed to move one of his hands from the edge of Grimmjow’s hollow hole. Wrapping it around his own shaft, he stroked himself a whopping three times before slamming himself down onto Grimmjow’s cock as he came. “Grimm!” A single shout of the arrancar’s name fell from his lips as his head was thrown back in pleasure and his frame shook from the force of his climax.

The sight of Ichigo coming was almost as good as the way he felt when he did so. A feral growl rumbled in Grimmjow’s chest as he kept bucking up into the ginger. It only took a few thrusts before he was coming as well. There was something primal about the fact that he was filling Ichigo with his seed, it made him feel powerful in a way that the younger man would probably chuckle at. As he came down from the high of his orgasm, Grimmjow let one hand reach up to cup the back of Ichigo’s neck, guiding the ginger down to lay on top of him. 

As he snuggled close to Grimmjow, his kimono falling off his shoulders, Ichigo gave the man beneath him a lazy kiss. “You’re right, that was hot. Gonna do it again sometime.” 

Grimmjow laughed softly, combing his fingers through Ichigo’s hair. “Hell yeah we are. Jus’ not right now.”

“Mm, good. Tired now.” Ichigo’s voice was muffled by his shoulder, but Grimmjow could still hear the smile in the words. Wrapping his arms around his mate, he carefully rolled them onto their sides so he could reach the blanket. Pulling it back over them both, he felt his eyes slipping shut.


	27. Chapter 27

When the first rays of sunlight started to filter through the window in the morning, Grimmjow felt himself starting to stir. His cock had slipped free of Ichigo’s warmth sometime during the night, but that was fine. Prying his eyes open, he saw that his mate was still sound asleep next to him. It was refreshing and wonderful to see how peaceful Ichigo looked first thing in the morning, and he couldn’t resist leaning in to give the ginger a slow kiss. 

Making a sleepy noise, Ichigo leaned into the kiss, eyes fluttering open when Grimmjow pulled back. The early morning light glowed in the hybrid’s eyes, knocking the air from the arrancar’s lungs. “Mm…’s early still.” 

Moving his lips to his mate’s neck, Grimmjow pressed soft kisses to the tanned skin there as his hands finally started to undo the now very twisted obi from around Ichigo’s waist. “Yeah. Woke up, saw how sexy you look and I couldn’t resist.” 

Lifting his hips to make his waist more accessible, Ichigo couldn’t find it in himself to argue with such logic. “Well, don’t let me stop you, then.”

As soon as the knot was free, Grimmjow unwound the cloth and tossed it out of the bed. Pushing the quite fancy kimono fully open, he ran his hands along the ginger’s stomach and sides. “Wasn’t plannin’ on it. Got the whole day to show you how sexy you are.”

Grinning at that, Ichigo lifted a hand to comb through tousled azure hair as he arched into the arrancar’s touch. “Love the way your hands feel on me. I wish you never had to stop touching me.” 

Tilting his head toward the warmth of Ichigo’s fingers, Grimmjow matched the ginger’s grin with his own. “Mm, I wouldn’t complain. I’d keep you in this bed all the time, bring you food as often as you need it, and then the rest of the time you’ll be drowning in pleasure.” He would be more than happy to keep his mate in a cozy nest, naked and sated at all times. 

Ichigo let out a whining moan, his cock throbbing between his legs at the thoughts Grimmjow was filling his head with. “Fuck...that sounds amazing.” 

“Yeah? Maybe after you graduate, before you start your uni classes, we take a week or two for just us.” Nipping at the long expanse of Ichigo’s neck, he growled softly as the plan formed in his head. The two of them, either in this little house or his rooms in what was left of Las Noches. No one would bother them, they could just stay wrapped up in each other the entire time. No family, no meetings, nothing to get in the way.

Arching up toward Grimmjow, Ichigo tugged at his hair lightly. “Not gonna make me wait that long, are you? Grimm, you’re driving me crazy here.” 

There was no way he was going to refuse a request like that. Grimmjow’s hand reached blindly for where he had left the lube last night. As he squeezed some onto his fingers, he made a mental note to get more soon. With every night being a whirlwind of pleasure so far, and considering it was only the fourth day since Ichigo’s arrival, they were certain to need more. Storing that note away in the back of his mind, he took a moment to warm the slick substance up before reaching between Ichigo’s legs. “Tell me if you’re too sore, alright?”

As the first finger slid into him, Ichigo sighed happily and relaxed into the bed. “Mm, feels good so far. I love how you feel in me, Grimm. You’re getting me addicted to you.”

Letting out a low chuckle, Grimmjow added a second finger. Ichigo was still somewhat loose from the night before, but adding more lube was the important part. In the past, he hadn’t cared to be gentle with his partners. Their pleasure was second to his own and he had only cared about chasing his own release. But he was truly in love with Ichigo, as much as he could be without a heart of his own. And it meant that giving his mate pleasure heightened his own. Pressing a kiss to the spot behind Ichigo’s ear, he added a third finger slowly. “How are you feeling? It’s not too much, right?”

The hand in Grimmjow’s hair had moved down to cling to the back of the arrancar’s neck while Ichigo used his other to grip the bedding beneath him tightly. His legs were spread as far as they could be in his current position, and his hips were rocking up to meet each thrust of the long fingers spreading him open. “More...need you, Grimm. Fuck me, hard.”

Grimmjow could practically feel the pleasure in Ichigo’s words. “You want it hard? Want me to just take you hard and fast?”

“Yes. Need you so bad.” Ichigo whined, his nails scraping along Grimmjow’s neck. 

A wicked idea struck Grimmjow, and with how Ichigo was begging, he wasn’t about to ignore it. “Relax your back for me, Ichi. ‘Cause I’m gonna bend you in half and pound you into this bed.” Taking a moment to slick himself up, Grimmjow lifted Ichigo’s legs so the ginger’s shins were over his shoulders before lining up. He took a moment to make sure his mate was still able to breathe before pressing in with one smooth thrust. 

It was a good thing that Grimmjow had advised Ichigo to try and relax his spine. WIth the elevated angle of his legs, it meant that Grimmjow’s first thrust had the arrancar’s cock pressing right against his prostate. He couldn’t use his heels to pull his mate any farther in, but that was fine. He had to take a moment or three to remember how to breathe while being so full, but it didn’t take long before pleasure blown brown eyes met electric blue. “Move. Fuck me so I still feel it tomorrow.” 

Grimmjow knew Ichigo’s words weren’t a request, they were an order. And in this instance, he was more than happy to comply. Pulling back, he set a brutal pace. Every thrust hit Ichio’s prostate, wrenching wordless moans and cries from the hybrid. He wondered if the servants at the far end of Kuchiki’s estate could hear the ginger fall apart beneath him. Leaning forward, Grimmjow folded Ichigo further, allowing him to take one of his mate’s erect nipples between his teeth. Biting down just enough to grasp the sensitive bud, he gave it a bit of a tug before teasing the tip of it with his tongue. 

Between the way Grimmjow was driving relentlessly into him and the attention being paid to one of his nipples, Ichigo would have made a contortionist proud. He arched his back, using the back of his own head to support his weight as he pushed his chest closer to Grimmjow. It was more difficult to try and match the arrancar thrust for thrust, but there was something innately erotic about not being able to move. The pleasure was almost intensified by the knowledge that he was entirely at his mate’s mercy. “Grimm...harder...wanna come…”

“Yeah? Wanna come from me fuckin’ you?” Panting out the words, Grimmjow turned his attentions to Ichigo’s other nipple, giving it the same treatment the first had gotten. Ichigo felt so much tighter around him in this position, and it was really feeding his ego to hear the noises his mate was making. “Go ahead, Ichi. Come from me fuckin’ you...I know you wanna.”

It took a few more thrusts, and some teasing of his overly sensitive nipples, but Ichigo came with a hoarse scream, splattering his and Grimmjow’s stomach with his release. His legs shook over the arrancar’s shoulders as Grimmjow kept going, fucking him through his climax and not caring that every nerve in his body was lit up like a christmas tree. 

Grimmjow’s eyes damn near rolled back in his head as he felt Ichigo coming around him. The way the ginger’s walls clenched and held him in, as though Ichigo was trying to milk his own release from him, was almost too much to resist. Luckily, Grimmjow had more control than that. Even as Ichigo’s legs shook against his shoulders and chest, he kept going. “Fuck...you feel so fuckin’ good, Ichi.”

Beneath him, Ichigo whimpered. He was over-sensitive and not getting a chance to catch his breath. But Grimmjow could see in his eyes that he was enjoying every second of it. “M-more...gimme more…”

Burying his face in Ichigo’s thigh, Grimmjow couldn’t stop the whine he let out if his life had depended on it. This man was going to be the death of him, and he was marching proudly toward that death with each and every thrust. “Shit...almost there, Ichi…” 

“Do it. Fill me up.” The words were croaked out due to how hoarse Ichigo was from screaming his own pleasure, but that just made him sound hotter as far as Grimmjow was concerned. 

Three more thrusts was all it took before Grimmjow’s spine locked as he came. He muffled himself by pressing his face into the meat of Ichigo’s thigh, stifling his own scream as he filled his mate. Shaking hands guided the ginger’s legs back down to the bed before Grimmjow allowed himself to just collapse onto Ichigo’s chest. He felt a little guilty for knocking the wind from his mate’s lungs, but he felt him breathing, so it was fine. “Damn…”

“Mm...I agree.” Ichigo’s voice was still rough, and likely would be for some time. 

Warm arms wrapped around Grimmjow’s shoulders, and he smiled contentedly. “Might need ta get somethin’ to gag you with, though. I love hearin’ you, but your family won’t.” 

One of Ichigo’s hands moved to pull on the short hairs at the back of Grimmjow’s neck, making him yelp at the way it stung. “I do not want to be thinking about them right now. Besides, we’re going to get our own place soon, aren’t we?”

Grimmjow pushed himself up on shaking arms, moving up to kiss Ichigo softly. “Yeah, we are. We can find someplace near campus for you.”

That smile Grimmjow loved so much lit up Ichigo’s face as long fingers ran through blue hair to untangle the now sweat soaked strands. “As long as you can still get to the shop easily enough.”

“Pft, I can move the ring to my right hand, sonido to the alley, then move it to my left and go into work.” Relaxing once more, Grimmjow laid his head on Ichigo’s chest again. The strong beat of his mate’s heart thumped beneath his ear, lulling him almost to sleep again. Sleepily, he murmured two words that made Ichigo’s heart skip. “Te amo.”

Though his knowledge of Spanish was limited, Ichigo knew well what those two words meant. As his own eyes slid closed, a wide smile spread over his face. “Love you, too, Grimm.”


	28. Chapter 28

A few hours later, Grimmjow was enjoying a cup of coffee while Ichigo puttered around the tiny kitchen. It was a sight that he hadn’t realized he would enjoy so much, but he realized he could easily get used to such simple domesticity. He was about to say as much, just to see if it would make the ginger blush. Before he had the chance to get the words out, there was a frantic knock at the door. Grimmjow set his mug down on the small table and rose to his feet, uncaring of the fact that he was not yet wearing a shirt. Sliding open the door, he looked down at a trembling officer from the fourth division. 

“G-grimmjow-san, you and Ichigo-san need to come to the fourth division right away.” The short man shook, his voice trembling in what Grimmjow thought might have been fear. Behind him, he heard Ichigo come out of the kitchen and approach the door. 

“Hanatarou? What’s going on? Who’s hurt?” Ichigo’s voice was serious and clearly full of worry, even as he nudged Grimmjow toward the duffel bag full of clothes so that the arrancar could put a shirt on.

Hanatarou looked up at Ichigo, rage and anguish in his eyes. “Urahara-san and Ganz-san found one of Aizen’s labs. He…he made children. Hybrids of humans and arrancar. There are five that survived the conception and birth process through the artificial wombs he made, and one of the children is Grimmjow-san’s.”

Grimmjow paused halfway through pulling on a sweater and stepped back to be in view of the door again. Looking at the man standing on the front step, he felt his stomach drop as he fought to find words. “So…so you’re saying…I have. I have a kid?” While his primal side railed against the almost fearful tone in his own voice, Grimmjow couldn’t even focus on shoving that aside. Hollows didn’t have children. Ever. And he and Ichigo had never even talked about children. Wanting offspring was a human thing, and he had assumed they would discuss it in a few years once the ginger was finally done with his education.

“How old is the child? Or, all the children? Should we bring anything specifically?” Ichigo’s voice cut through the racing thoughts in Grimmjow’s head, and he noticed that the tone was oddly calm. 

“The oldest two, they belong to Starrk-san and Harribel-san, are two years old. The other three, belonging to Neliel-san, Grimmjow-san, and Ulquiorra-san, are a year and a half. There isn’t anything specifically that you should bring, but Unohana-taicho and Shiba-taicho are asking that you do not bring your zanpakutous.” Hanatarou swallowed harshly, finally looking Grimmjow in the eye. It surprised the arrancar to see the weak looking shinigami holding such steel and righteous fury within. 

Ichigo just nodded as he pulled on his shoes and handed Grimmjow his boots. “Then we’ll follow you. I still don’t know my way around here all that well.” 

Reeling at the entire situation, Grimmjow finished pulling the sweater on over the distressed jeans Ichigo had packed for him and then shoved his feet into his boots. There were no words exchanged as he and his mate followed Hanatarou to the fourth division, which suited him just fine. At the moment there was just one question bouncing around inside of his head.

As they arrived at the fourth and followed their guide to a room they could wait in, Grimmjow stopped in his tracks. He reached out and snagged the sleeve of Ichigo’s shirt, causing the man to stop and turn to him. “Ichigo…how are you so calm about this? How are you not freaking out? Because, fuck, I’m freaking out.” 

There was a warmth in Ichigo’s eyes that threatened to steal the air from Grimmjow’s lungs as he looked into those caramel orbs. “Because you need me to be calm. I’ll have time to freak out later, but I know you need me to be calm for you, like you’re always calm for me when I have panic attacks.” Ichigo’s hand slipped into his, squeezing in just the right way to help Grimmjow feel grounded again. 

“Thank you.” Two simple words, but they were oddly heavy on his tongue. Grimmjow laced his fingers through Ichigo’s, entering the waiting room with his mate at his side. 

In the room, the atmosphere was heavy and bordering on fearful. Starrk and Harribel sat like stone on either side of a solid door, looking like sentinels watching for threats. On a low cot to the right of the room, Inoue cried softly into Ishida’s shoulder, while Nel and Chad sat side by side on the left of the room speaking softly in Spanish. There were multiple places to sit around the room, but the fact that Inoue was crying did worry Grimmjow some. Sure, he knew she was the emotional type, but the growing ball of worry and fear in the pit of his stomach said she was crying for a valid reason. Grabbing a chair, Grimmjow hauled it over to face the human couple. He pulled Ichigo into his lap, partially because he hadn’t grabbed a second chair and partially for his own comfort. “You’ve seen them, haven’t you? You’ve seen the children.”

Inoue lifted her head and looked at Grimmjow, her eyes puffy and red from crying. “I have. Aizen left them in the care of some Numeros, with no proper instructions on diet or care. They’re all so small, and so underweight. Unohana-taicho and Kurosaki-sensei asked me to help heal the children since my ability could repair their teeth painlessly. All their teeth were completely rotten, because no instructions had been left to brush them. And their diapers never got changed often enough, so they have rashes and other problems, too. I wanted to fix it all. Make them as healthy as I could, but after their teeth…I couldn’t anymore.” A fresh wave of tears welled in her eyes and began to flow down her cheeks as she turned to bury her face in Ishida’s shoulder again. 

“Now we’re all just waiting to hear how bad it is. They’re all underweight and behind on their developmental targets because the Numeros didn’t know that all of them need human food in addition to reishii. Harribel-san and Starrk-san’s children are the least human of the bunch, which is good since they’ll be living in Hueco Mundo. The other three can pass as human, from what Orihime has said. We just don’t know how far behind they are and if they can still catch up or if this will affect them for life.” It was clear that Ishida was trying to be detached and objective about the state of the children, but there was a wavering quality to his voice that proved he was not unaffected by the situation. 

From Grimmjow’s lap, Ichigo chewed his lower lip for a moment before speaking up softly. “Hanatarou said one of the children is Ulquiorra’s. Who will take that one? We can’t just send them to an orphanage, that’s cruel and could put them in danger. And I still can’t figure out who thought it was a good idea to let Urahara raise Jinta and Ururu, let alone a helpless baby who is going to need significant care.”

“We are. Uryuu-kun and I will take him. Ulquiorra-san was kind to me when I was Aizen’s prisoner, I owe him this.” Though her voice was slightly muffled, Inoue’s tone brooked no arguments. 

“What about university?” Grimmjow knew how important education was to Ichigo’s future, he was fully in support of it. They had the rest of eternity until their souls aged and crumbled away to live and fight, a few decades in the living world was nothing. Surely Inoue would value furthering her own education, wouldn’t she?

Pulling away from her own soulmate’s shoulder, Inoue looked more determined than Grimmjow could ever recall having seen her be before. “I won’t go. Uryuu-kun is going to be a doctor, and I can always go back and take classes once the little one is in school. But I won’t let some stranger who knows nothing about any special needs he’ll have as half arrancar raise him just so I can get a silly piece of paper.”

“And what do you think about that?” Ichigo was looking at Ishida consideringly, waiting to hear what the Quincy would have to say on the matter.

Ishida smiled softly, his own focus entirely on the woman in his arms as he handed her a handkerchief to dry her eyes. “I think that none of these children asked to be born, especially not the way that they were. I think that only someone who knows about arrancar should have any business raising them. And most importantly, I think I can’t wait to see the look on Ryuuken’s face when I tell him his first grandchild is half arrancar.” The gentle smile on the archer’s face shifted to a playful smirk as Ishida looked over at Ichigo and Grimmjow. It was clear that he was going to enjoy tormenting his father as much as possible.

As he ran his fingers through Grimmjow’s hair, Ichigo chuckled at Ishida’s comment. “Dad already knows, since he’s in there taking care of the little ones. But Mom is going to be the interesting one. I do remember that she loves children, and that she had wanted more before Grand Fisher got her. But hopefully she won’t mind being a grandmother now.” Looking down at Grimmjow, honey brown eyes flashed with worry for a moment before Ichigo did his best to school his expression again. “Are you gonna mind if I still go to uni? And we may not be able to move out anymore.”

Though there was still a strong sense of panic and fear of the unknown coursing through him, Grimmjow tried to smile as his arms tightened around his mate just a little bit more. “The ramen shop is fun an’ all, but I don’t need it. We do need ta get more space at the house, though. If we’re stayin’ there, kid needs his own room. No need to traumatize him by makin’ him share with us.” 

“How about we give him a name before we start saving for his future therapy sessions?” Amusement sparked in Ichigo’s eyes, and Grimmjow hoped for a moment that the child with his genetics managed to also have eyes at least close to the same shade as the ginger’s were. Not only would it mean the boy would look like both his fathers, but Grimmjow couldn’t even imagine looking into the face of a child he had never even dreamed he would have and seeing a stranger’s features. 

Since sitting in tense silence was not something he had ever enjoyed, Grimmjow felt the need to keep talking. “So, Hime, you’re the only one in th’ room to see the runts, yeah? What do they look like?”

Inoue managed a smile that looked much more like her usual expression, setting Grimmjow at ease just a little. “Well, there’s only one girl, she’s Starrk-san’s. Her hair is jet black, but wavy like his, and her eyes are grey. Harribel-san’s son isn’t quite as tan but is certainly just as blonde. He even has a little bit of a mask running along his forehead. Nel-san’s son has her hair and dark eyes, he also has pink spots on his cheeks, but they don’t connect over his nose like hers. Ulqiourra’s son has dark hair and deep green eyes, but he has more color to his skin than his father did.” Pausing for a moment, Inoue’s smile morphed into a full grin. “And your little boy, Grimmjow-san, actually looks like he could be the child of you and Kurosaki-kun. He has your hair, and his eyes are almost the exact color of Kurosaki-kun’s.”

Grimmjow smiled so widely at the description of his child that he felt the teeth of his mask part. A child that actually would look like his and Ichigo’s was the most he had dared to hope for. And if the kid had either of their personalities, he would be a little hellraiser for sure. “Even if he’s small now, he ain’t gonna be pushed around by anyone.” 

In his lap, Ichigo groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ll be grey by thirty. I’ll have to start dying my hair so people won’t think I’m his grandfather.”

From behind the pair, Chad let out a bark of laughter. “Don’t lie, you’ll be coaching him on how to make sure he isn’t busted by the cops for street fighting. Same way you taught me not to get caught when I moved to Japan.”

“Oh yeah, because you totally aren’t going to be raising Nel’s kid with her and teaching him to be right there next to ours?” Ichigo looked behind Grimmjow, but the arrancar could easily imagine the mischievous grin he had to be wearing.

Beside Chad, Nel stifled a giggle of her own. “Of course not, Yasutora and I will teach him the importance of being the look-out.” 

“Bullshit.” Grimmjow nudged Ichigo off of his lap and stood, almost instantly missing the man’s warmth. Turning toward Nel, he smirked at her attempt to look innocent. “Yer brat will be there fuckin’ shit up right next to mine. Theirs,” he jerked his thumb over his shoulder to point at Inoue and Ishida, “will be the one on look-out.” 

To the right of the door, Starrk leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “Oh yeah? And what about mine and Harribel’s pups?” 

Before Grimmjow could make any comments, Ichigo pointed at Harribel. “Fucking shit up along with the other two.” Moving his hand, he pointed at Starrk, smirking widely. “The instigator who will be creating a diversion by acting innocent as a saint rather than getting her hands dirty.”

Left of the door, Harribel’s shoulders shook with silent laughter. “That sounds about right for Starrk’s spawn. It would seem the low level hollows will need to be quite fearful in a few short human years.” 

“But first, you’ll have to learn how to change diapers and teach your children how to use toilets.” The voice at the door had everyone in the room turning to look. Stepping into the room, Masaki was followed by Zaraki Kenpachi, and shockingly enough, Ishida’s father. “Thankfully, Zaraki-san and I can help teach you, since my husband will have his hands full with monitoring the health of all the little ones.” With a smile on her face, she walked over and hugged her son before pulling Grimmjow into a hug as well. He looked down at her in utterly baffled astonishment, which must have been clear as a bell on his face based on the way she chuckled at him. “Just because this is not how I ever pictured becoming a grandmother does not mean I’m wasting this chance. I don’t promise to be perfect, I was raised to hate all hollows, after all. But I’m coming to terms with the fact that you and my son are bound to each other, which makes you family.”

Grimmjow was silent for a moment as he digested what Masaki had said. The part of him that relished in the sense of belonging Ichigo’s family gave him was beyond thrilled to hear what she said. But he also couldn’t help wondering why she’d brought along the very uncomfortable looking Quincy who was trying not to look like a deer in headlights. “Why’d you bring him along?”

Rising from his seat, Ishida’s voice was cold as ice as he stared at his father. Even without looking, Grimmjow could sense the young man’s thirst for his own father’s blood. “Yes, why are you here, Ryuuken? Going to try and play God again like you did with my mother?”

Without even thinking about it, Grimmjow pushed Masaki behind him to stand closer to her son. He knew from word of mouth how strong she’d been before losing her powers, and he knew first hand that Ichigo would be able to defend her, but he’d always been the type to protect his own. It had been one of the reasons he hadn’t eaten Shawlong, Di Roy, and the others. He watched the white haired Quincy intently, waiting to see what the man would do. Ryuuken looked back at him, and at the rest of the people in the room as he held up a briefcase. “Kurosaki asked me to bring vaccinations for five, as well as vitamin boosters. He was rather vague about the details, just that one of Urahara’s cohorts would be the one to bring me here. Where that woman went after escorting me here, I have no idea.”

Leaning back in his chair again, Starrk reached up next to his shoulder and turned the handle on the door. “Go in here, then. I don’t know much about what you said, but you were requested so you must have a reason for being here.” 

“But if you harm them further, we will kill you. Even we know children are important and to be protected.” Rising from her seat, Harribel stared at the elder Quincy, her ocean colored eyes hard and biting.

Though he tried to look completely bored with the threats, Ryuuken’s reiatsu was telegraphing how intimidated he truly felt. “They will likely cry, young children typically do when getting injections. But these are all essential medicines to keep them from falling dangerously ill as well as to boost what little immune systems they may have.” 

Before Ryuuken could walk through the door, it was pulled open to show Isshin looking harried. “Did you bring everything I asked for?”

“DPT-IPV, MMR, Chicken pox, Influenza, vitamin cocktail. The bottles have enough for five and I brought infant sized IV lines to use instead of repeated shots.” Holding up the case in his hands, Ryuuken listed everything that was inside. 

Grimmjow watched Isshin nod and usher Ryuuken into the room. He wanted to charge in there himself, to see the child made of his DNA. But there was that deep tinge of fear, he didn’t know how to handle children. From behind him, a small hand landed on his bicep. “Grimmjow-kun, are you alright? Do you want to talk about it?” 

“No. ‘Least not now.” Anxiety made him feel like his skin was crawling, and he wanted more than anything to see the baby he was already becoming somewhat attached to. Looking down at the woman, he cocked his head to the side. “How are you handlin’ this? Goin’ from yer last memories bein’ of raising a kid of your own an’ now ya got a grandkid.”

The warmth in Masaki’s eyes was almost identical to Ichigo’s, and as much of a sucker as he was for his own partner’s coffee colored gaze, he understood a little more why Isshin had never given up on his love for this petite firebrand. “Honestly, it’s a challenge. But I’ve had time to grieve for missing out on seeing Ichigo grow up, and I’m not just getting one grandchild.” Masaki grinned broadly as she looked around the room. “I’m claiming Grandma rights to all five of those little ones. I may not have experience with a child past the age of four, but I will absolutely help in any way I can, even if it just means spoiling them with as much love as I can give.”

Ishida snorted softly, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “I’m sure Ryuuken will handle that just spectacularly.”

Grimmjow had to bite back a laugh as he watched Masaki flip her hair back over her shoulder. “I kicked his ass when we were younger, I’ll kick his ass again. Any time he argues the point, I’ll remind him why he’s wrong.” 

Before either Ichigo or Grimmjow could comment on Masaki’s claim, Zaraki let out a booming laugh as he looked directly at Ichigo. “Still gonna’ try an’ say you aren’t bound for my squad? Shit, why wait? I’ll make ya my fourth seat, get ya a salary ta help with yer brat. Kids cost money, ya know.”


	29. Chapter 29

Ichigo looked up at Zaraki for a moment before snorting softly. “Depends, you willing to let me stay almost exclusively in the living world, go to school, and get a human job? Because if not, that’s a hard pass from me.” 

“Shouldn’t you already be getting paid ta kill hollows? I mean, Isshin gets paid for his position, aren’ you gettin’ paid?” Grimmjow’s mouth turned down in confusion, looking between Ichigo and Zaraki.

“I’ve never been paid for a single hollow I’ve ever purified, not a single yen for the war or my efforts in it, or anything since.” Shrugging, Ichigo shoved his hands in his pockets like it was a completely normal thing. 

A menacing growl vibrated in Grimmjow’s throat as he narrowed his eyes at Zaraki. It was more than likely that he had nothing to do with the lack of pay, but he was an available target. “He’s worked his fuckin’ ass off for you lazy fuckers, and you can’t even spare a few yen for him? He’s fuckin’ died for you assholes.” 

In hindsight, Grimmjow realized he’d started yelling at Zaraki. He hadn’t even realized his voice had grown so loud until he stopped and the room was deathly quiet. As he tamped down embarrassment over his own reaction, the hair on the back of his neck raised along with the venomous reiatsu behind him. Clearly, Masaki was getting her power back now that she was in soul society. The red haired woman strode forward, shoulders squared as her head tipped back to allow her to look up at Zaraki. “Who is responsible for expecting my son to be a slave? Who do I talk to to correct this. Because if it’s you, you’re about to be  _ very _ glad that we are in a hospital.” Under her kimono, a faint blue glow travelled in thin lines down her arms. They were much thinner than the ones Ichigo gained when using his own hollow powers, and Grimmjow was fairly sure it had nothing to do with her smaller frame.

“Mom, stop. It’s not Kenpachi’s fault.” Ichigo’s voice was soft and soothing as he reached out and put his hands on his mother’s shoulders. Grimmjow watched the younger man turn Masaki away from the target of her ire and pull her into a hug. “Kenpachi has nothing to do with me getting paid or not, so you don’t need to yell at him.”

“But you can bet your ass I’ll be bringin’ this up at the captains meeting tonight. Because that shit ain’t right.” The frown on Zaraki’s face was dark and dangerous, making it clear he was just as unhappy about the lack of appropriate compensation. 

“Chad, Inoue, and Ishida should also get paid. They help me out a lot, and they were the ones who took care of hollows in Karakura when I was powerless. They deserve it as much as I do.” Grimmjow wasn’t the least bit surprised that Ichigo was trying to get his friends paid for their work, and he honestly did agree with the argument his mate had presented. There was no reason the humans and the quincy shouldn’t get paid like a soul reaper would when they were the ones doing the dirty work. 

Before Zaraki could reply again, the door behind Starrk and Halibel opened opened again. Standing in the doorway, Isshin looked more haggard than Grimmjow had ever seen him. And considering he’d seen the man deal with the fallout of a knife fight with multiple victims all at once, that was saying something. “We’ve inoculated the children and given them vitamin boosters, so they’re all a little fussy right now. They are keeping down mushy rice and formula at the moment and have been freshly diapered, so you can come in and see them now.”

Even though he was painfully eager to see the child Inoue had described to him, Grimmjow felt like his feet were fused to the ground. He watched Halibel, Starrk, Nel, and the humans go into the room, but couldn’t move himself. As much as it pained his pride to admit, he was scared. It was just a baby, he should be scared of a baby. But the reality was far more daunting than logic. Warmth spread over his palm and up his arm as Ichigo took his hand once more. Twining their fingers together, he turned to look into his mate’s warm chocolate eyes. “I don’ know why I ain’t movin. I wanna be in there, but my feet won’t listen.”

Ichigo squeezed his hand and smiled gently. “Just tell ‘em to follow mine, then. Because I really want to see this little guy.” Stepping toward the door, he pulled on Grimmjow hand to bring him along. Slowly but surely, almost like trudging through heavy snow, Grimmjow finally felt his feet start to move. The door seemed to have moved, appearing like it was at the end of a long hallway instead of less than two yards away, and he was vaguely aware of the sound of his pulse hammering in his ears. Without his permission, Grimmjow felt his feet come to a stop, even as Ichigo continued to tug on his arm.

“Ichi...stop for a sec…” Grimmjow felt his chest hurting, the ghost of his heart racing faster than what should have been possible. His lungs burned, and he became aware that he was breathing incredibly quickly. Hyperventilating, his mind called it. 

Turning instantly, Ichigo was in Grimmjow’s face in seconds. Those warm hands that he so adored cupped his cheeks and coffee colored eyes drew his focus. “Grimm, it’s alright. Just breathe for me, alright? The four count breathing exercise you help me with when I need it, now it’s your turn.” A soothing baritone counted his breaths, and the burning in his lungs started to ease. Muscles he hadn’t realized were tensed relaxed as his breathing began to even out, and he leaned forward to rest his forehead against Ichigo’s. “Feeling better now?”

“Yeah. Was that...did I just have a panic attack?” Grimmjow felt his hands shaking as wrapped his arms loosely around Ichigo’s waist. He felt like he’d spent an hour in battle, just worn out and wrung loose. 

Nodding gently, Ichigo ran his fingers through Grimmjow’s hair. It was a soothing action, helping to calm the shaking in his muscles. “Yeah, you did. They suck pretty bad. You ready to go in, or do you need another minute or so?”

Taking a deep breath, Grimmjow evaluated himself to see if he felt ready to meet the baby with his blood. “Seriously, how are you handling this so well? I don’t get it at all.” 

Ichigo’s arms moved to loop around the back of Grimmjow’s neck as a faint blush darkened his cheeks. “Well, I’ve known for a while that I wanted to be a dad someday. Until I got your initials, I figured I’d have a woman for a soulmate, and kids would just be an eventuality. When I realized my soulmate was another guy, I figured we could save up and fight our way through the adoption process after university. It’s still skewed against gay men, but persistence pays off. So while I’m sure the reality of having a kid while still in high school is going to sink in and freak me out in a few days, or maybe when we get back home with him, I’m just too excited that I get to be a dad to be freaking out.” 

There it was. That sparkle in Ichigo’s eyes that managed to lodge its way under his ribs and make him feel like anything was possible. It used to annoy the shit out of him, but Grimmjow had come to love it. Closing the distance between them, he kissed Ichigo slowly and deeply. “Thanks. I’m gonna need you to lean on fer a while.” 

“You know I have your back. Just like you have mine.” Ichigo slowly pulled away from Grimmjow, fitting their hands together before walking backward toward the door. “You ready? I bet he’s adorable.”

Huffing softly, Grimmjow nodded. “Yeah, I think I am. An’ hell, he’s mine so he’s gonna have good looks by default.” As he followed Ichigo, he no longer felt like he was walking through knee deep snow. His feet moved normally, and he grinned as the ginger almost ran into the doorframe. Stepping into the room, he saw the others spread out and holding their children, and the dread crept back in a little. There was one crib still occupied, and the little boy inside was curled up and sniffling. The side of his arm had a small circular bandage, and a violent wave of protective need swarmed over Grimmjow. 

Letting go of Ichigo’s hands, he took the few steps to the side of his son’s crib. Reaching in, Grimmjow lifted the toddler like he was made of glass and tucked the tiny body to his chest. In the back of his head, the animal instincts that were typically bound up in Pantera looped the same two words over and over.  _ Protect cub. Protect cub. Protect cub. _ Quickly scanning the room, Grimmjow made a beeline for the corner bed at the far end. The nearest window was past the foot of the bed, and there were walls that he could huddle up against to defend the baby. With one hand, he pulled the blanket clean off the bed and draped it over himself once he sat. “Ichigo, get over here.” Thinking for a moment as he curled around the whimpering child in his arms, he peeked around the edge of the blanket. “Bring another blanket, too.”

He could see the laughter in Ichigo’s eyes and the way the ginger’s lips twitched as he picked up another blanket and came over. Grimmjow tossed his shoes onto the floor and pulled his mate down to join him before struggling to cover them with the second blanket using only one hand. He left himself a small gap to look through, and uncurled enough that the baby was visible through the fragmented light. As Ichigo shifted closer, the baby squirmed enough to face him. “He’s adorable. And we’re in a blanket fort.”

“Closest I can get to a proper den right now.” Grimmjow almost growled out the words, still fighting down the overwhelming instincts he did not anticipate having. The baby slowly stopped sniffling as a tiny hand gripped his sweater as tightly as it could. Looking up, he stared right into Ichigo’s eyes. “Fuck, Ichi, I’d die for you. But I’ll kill for him. No questions asked, and even you couldn’t stop me from doin’ it.” It scared him in a way to be so violently protective of anyone, but he wasn’t about to deny the feeling.

The small gap in the blankets grew suddenly as Masaki pulled them apart. Glaring coldly at Grimmjow, her voice was deadly serious. “If I  _ ever _ hear you use that kind of language around my grandson again, you’ll be spending a very long time here being put back together.  _ Is that clear? _ ” 

Biting back a powerful urge to hiss, Grimmjow just nodded as he wrapped himself around the baby again. Thankfully, once she finished making her point she fixed the blankets to leave a small gap just large enough to see out of. Strong arms wrapped around his waist, and it took a moment for him to register that he was halfway into Ichigo’s lap. “Sorry about Mom. She means well, but she’s never tolerated profanity. I can talk to her later about how she approached the issue if you want. I know that wasn’t a great way to handle it.”

Seeing as how he was usually the one holding Ichigo, Grimmjow had to admit it felt pretty nice to have that reciprocated. Leaning sideways, he let his head drop onto his mate’s shoulder. “‘S fine. Guess it’d be bad if his first word is a swear word.” Lapsing into silence, he closed his eyes and did his best to relax. “Be fine if my instincts weren’t so strong right now. ‘S hard to think of anything but hidin’ him somewhere safe where no one can get ta him, ‘cept you an’ me.”

One of the arms around him moved to stroke the baby’s soft hair as an agreeing noise came from deep in Ichigo’s throat. “I get what you mean. Poor kiddo’s been through hell already, it’d be great if we could just hide him away where nothing else can get to him. But you aren’t doing this alone, you know. We’re in this together.” 

If he could purr, Grimmjow was reasonably sure he would be at that moment. The longer he sat holding his son, the more rational he became. Having Ichigo there certainly helped as his instincts started to calm back down. Looking at the little hand holding his shirt, he couldn’t keep from smiling softly. “Hate ta break it to ya, cub, but you’re getting a family of crazies. ‘Specially yer granddad. He’s just insane.”

Beside him, Ichigo’s shoulder shook with laughter. “Good thing he’s got us to make up for the rest of the crazy.” Through the small sliver of light cutting through the darkness under the blankets, Grimmjow felt his heart stutter for a moment from the way his mate was looking at the little baby dozing softly against his chest. “We’ll have to decide what to have him call us, too. It’ll be confusing if he calls both of us dad.” 

Words were failing Grimmjow at that moment, so he just turned and pressed his forehead against the side of Ichigo’s head. He didn’t know what to say or do, it was just all overwhelming to him. Thinking about what Aizen had done, how he had created these children without the consent of any of their parents, how they had no way of knowing who the human parents were or if those people would show up later and try to demand parental rights, let alone how to even raise a child. It was terrifying, but there was absolutely no way in hell he was abandoning this helpless cub. Swallowing hard, he licked his lips reflexively. “Ichi...I’m terrified. What if we screw up?” His voice was barely a whisper, and wouldn’t have been audible if he hadn’t been practically speaking into Ichigo’s ear.

“Then we’ll do our best to fix it. This whole situation is intimidating as hell, but I feel like most parents feel that way at first? We can always ask Mom for advice, if we need to. Even if she doesn’t remember everything about having kids, she was damn good with us from what I remember.” A warm hand slipped under Grimmjow’s shirt, feeling just shy of scalding on his lower back. “Not sure how long we should stay hiding here, though. Baby’s getting toasty. I can feel it through the little shirt they have on him.”

Taking a moment to soak up his mate’s comforting warmth, as well as to memorize the baby’s weak reiatsu, Grimmjow pushed the blankets off of them. The sudden brightness of the room made him hiss as a shiver ripped down his spine from the rapid change in temperature. Apparently the baby also noticed the change and woke up enough to cry. With great care, Grimmjow pried little fingers out of the front of his sweater so he could reposition the baby and cradle him close. “Sorry, cub. Didn’ mean to wake you up like that.”

Ichigo’s hand came up over Grimmjow’s own, stroking the insanely soft hair on the baby’s head. “Everything is bright and scary, huh? Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it and we’ll be here to take care of you.” The cries tapered off into wet hiccups as fat tears soaked into Grimmjow’s shirt. He watched as Ichigo’s thumb stroked over the baby’s ruddy cheek to wipe away some of the moisture. “We’re your dads, and we’re gonna take care of you.” 

“Hopefully he’ll be as good of a baby as you were, and nothing like his aunts.” Isshin’s voice cut through the sense of isolation that Grimmjow hadn’t fully been aware of. Sure, he’d been able to still sense that there were others in the large room, but he’d been ignoring them. “I just want to check his temperature as a follow up to the vaccinations.” Pulling what Grimmjow had come to learn was an inner ear thermometer from his pocket, Isshin popped something over the sensor before placing it into the baby’s ear. Pulling it away once it beeped, the doctor smiled at the information on the display. “Handling it like a champ, just like a Kurosaki.” 

“Kurosaki, huh?” Hearing that his son was doing well, a smile slowly grew on Grimmjow’s lips. “Suppose that is easier to spell than Jaegerjaquez once he’s bigger.” While he had pride in his name, Grimmjow had no strong tie to it specifically. All he really knew was that it hadn’t been his name when he’d been alive, but that was all. Plus, the Kurosaki name would create a closer bond with Ichigo. 

From the corner of his eye, Grimmjow could see the hopeful look on Ichigo’s face. “You’d be okay with him having my last name instead of yours?”

Grimmjow couldn’t help smiling broadly, especially as the baby looked up at him curiously. “Yeah. No one will be able to deny he’s mine, only right he has something o’ yours, too.” Before he could say anything else, a very faint rumbling sound caught Grimmjow’s attention just the baby started to whimper. Looking up, he saw that Isshin was already across the room checking on Starrk’s daughter. “Ya hungry again already, cub? Bet your stomach is pretty tiny, so it makes sense.” Scanning the room, he caught Ryuuken’s attention and called out to the white haired quincy. “Yo, doc, got a hungry cub here an’ no food for him.” 

“Do I look like an orderly to you?” There was a sharp, almost offended tone as Ryuuken glared over the top of his glasses at the arrancar. “Food for them all should be arriving soon, he can wait.”

Rather than snarling back and stooping to the level of the petty man, Grimmjow looked over at Ishida and shook his head sadly. “If this is how he raised you, that explains a hell of a lot.”

The corners of Ishida’s mouth visibly twitched as he very gently bounced his adopted son in his lap. “Hopefully he’ll be a better grandfather than he was as a father. And if not, Kurosaki-san has already declared herself to be his grandmother. I’m certain she can make up for the lack of having Ryuuken in his life.”

“ _ I _ wouldn’t say no to another grandson. It’s not like Masaki is the only one who gets to call grandparent rights, after all. Inoue-chan and Sado-kun are family in all but name anyway.” Isshin sniffed imperiously as he took a seat at a makeshift desk in the corner and started in on a stack of papers. “And since it’s the job of grandparents to spoil their grandchildren with love, affection, and treats, Halibel-san and Starrk-san’s little ones are more than welcome to call me Grandpa.”

Before Grimmjow could bring himself to care what Halibel and Starrk thought about that declaration, he spotted the man that had come to him and Ichigo earlier enter the room with a cart covered in small bowls. “Hey. Is that food for the kids?”

Hanatarou nodded as he pushed the cart toward Grimmjow first. “Mushy rice made with specialized formula instead of water so it’s nutritious, filling, and easy on little stomachs that aren’t used to food. I also have bibs in case of messes, and spoons that will fit in the children’s mouths.”

“Thanks, Hanatarou.” Grimmjow didn’t need to look to know that Ichigo was smiling, the guy really was too friendly at times. 

Looking at the contents of the cart, the arrancar awkwardly turned the baby around on his lap to face away from him. “So, wha’ do we do? I got no freakin’ clue.” 

“I can help with that.” Picking up one of the bibs, Hanatarou showed the snaps on it. “Unohana-taicho had me rush to get this kind since it can’t be tied too tight. So you put it on so that the big part covers his chest.” Once the bib was in place, he took the cover off one of the bowls and handed it to Ichigo. “It may be easier for Ichigo-san to feed him while you hold him, or the other way around.”

Taking the bowl and then the following spoon, Ichigo took a tiny taste of the food to check the temperature. “Okay, this shouldn’t be too hot for him, so that’s good.” Gathering a little more on the spoon, he brought it to the baby’s mouth to feed him. The toddler eyed the food cautiously for a moment before opening his mouth and letting the spoon in. Once he realized it was what he wanted, he was more than happy to open his mouth every time the spoon was brought close. “Yeah, that’s tasty stuff, huh? Just enough texture for you to chew and learn how to eat.” 

“He sure seems ta like it, alright.” Grimmjow couldn’t help chuckling at the way the baby practically chased the spoon every time it was taken from him. “An’ he ain’t makin’ much of a mess, either.” 

“I don’t think he’s willing to waste any.” There was a bright grin on Ichigo’s face, the kind that was usually only ever directed at Grimmjow. Even his sisters never got this particular variant of their brother’s smile. And yet, he wasn’t jealous in the slightest. It made perfect sense in Grimmjow’s mind that his mate would show that smile to their cub, it was something only for their tiny family.

“Can ya blame him? Who knows what the hell the numeros were feedin’ him and the others.” Bending down, Grimmjow pressed his nose into the baby’s hair. He wanted to memorize every single detail of his little one. “Don’ overfeed him.” 

Ichigo nodded and stopped when the baby no longer seemed interested in the food. “He doesn’t seem to want more, so I think that means he’s full. And he only dribbled a little on his bib, so that’s pretty good.” Leaving the spoon in the bowl, Ichigo stretched to put the bowl on the nightstand next to the bed. 

The rest of the afternoon seemed to pass in a blur to Grimmjow. He knew things were happening around them, but aside from being taught how to change a diaper he just kind of zoned out. It was after the sun had set when the parents were all ushered out of the makeshift nursery. Dragging his feet, Grimmjow left with great reluctance as Ichigo gently pulled him out the door. “I don’t like leavin’ him there. He should be with us.” 

Ichigo’s thumb stroked over his knuckles, the action soothing. “I know. But it’s important that they stay under medical observation a little longer. I can reheat some of that beef stew I made a few days ago for dinner, and then we can use my phone to look up some good names.” 

Grimmjow sighed and nodded, forcing the tension out of his shoulders. “Should think about how to make room for him, too. The signing of the treaty’ll be in two days, an’ then we’ll be heading home.” 


	30. Chapter 30

Jolting awake, Grimmjow heard Ichigo scrambling toward the toilet before retching loudly. Climbing out of bed, he made his way to the small room and rubbed his mate’s back soothingly. “What’s wrong, Ichi? Need me to get you anything?”

Ichigo wiped his mouth with the back of his hand once he had emptied his stomach of every last thought of food. “Nightmare. Well...night terror.” 

Grimmjow helped Ichigo to his feet so the younger man could get cleaned up. “What was it about?” 

Shaking his head, Ichigo rinsed his mouth before pushing past the arrancar. “I need to get to the fourth. I need to see the baby.” 

Watching Ichigo drag clothes on, Grimmjow followed suit. “He was in it?”

“I have to see him. I have to know he’s okay.” The way Ichigo’s voice wavered, full of fear and on the edge of sobbing, kept Grimmjow from asking any more questions. Instead, he just got shoes ready for them both and handed Ichigo’s to the ginger. 

“Then put your shoes on, I’ll lead the way.” As much as he wanted to demand the details of the dream that had caused such an extreme reaction, Grimmjow couldn’t deny the sinking feeling in his own gut that something might be wrong with the child. 

The night air was cold and biting as Grimmjow lead the way to the fourth division. Ichigo hadn’t said a word since being handed shoes to put on, and he hadn’t felt the urge to push the matter. Seeking out the miniscule reiatsu signature he had taken great care to memorize earlier, he marched through the winding halls with the ginger hot at his heels. 

“You can’t go in there, the visiting hours are over.” A guard with a blunt staff stood in front of the room being used as the nursery, blocking Grimmjow and Ichigo from entering the room. 

Ichigo growled, the sound low and menacing. It made Grimmjow smirk to see how the door guard shivered fearfully at the sound. “Move. Now.”

The guard swallowed hard, a bead of sweat sliding down her cheek as she stood strong. “I’m sorry, but Unohana-taichou and Shiba-taichou ordered that no one is to enter. They were very clear about that.”

“Shiba-taichou is my father. One of those babies is  _ my son _ . Now  _ move _ .” Grimmjow could feel the oppressive weight of Ichigo’s reiatsu, and it wasn’t even targeted at him. The woman in front of the door shook as she struggled to stay upright. 

“We’ll take responsibility. Now, unless you want to pass out from Ichigo’s reiatsu, I suggest moving out of the way.” It wasn’t often that Grimmjow took pity on others, but it would be more of a pain if the woman passed out than anything. 

Recognizing the danger she was in, or perhaps just not wanting to face off against Ichigo’s temper, the woman shuffled out of the way of the door. As the ginger charged through, Grimmjow made sure to catch the door and shut it quietly to avoid waking the children who were sleeping inside. In the center of the room were the five cribs, each one holding a sleeping toddler. There were two squad members sleeping off to the side on cots, presumably in case one of the little ones cried in the night. 

The room was dimly lit with soft lights, allowing the children to sleep while still being visible. Grimmjow didn’t need to look to know which crib to go to, and a hand on the small of Ichigo’s back steered the frantic man in the right direction. There, laying peacefully in the crib and curled up around the soft blanket he’d been given, the little boy who shared his blood slept soundly. Grimmjow had never seen anyone look so completely unguarded, or felt so violently protective of another life before. Even Ichigo, his soulmate that he would protect and defend with his dying breath didn’t evoke the same primal need to keep safe.

Watching Ichigo reach down into the crib and lift the little child up, Grimmjow wrapped his arm fully around the ginger’s waist. Though the baby wasn’t in his own arms, he wondered idly if this was how Isshin had felt when Ichigo was that small. His senses were spread as far out as possible, checking for any and all potential threats, but his focus was entirely on his mate and the child. Their child. Looking around the room, he found the bed in the corner that they had used earlier in the day, and with reluctance he pulled away from Ichigo. Grimmjow stole pillows and blankets from a few of the other beds in the room before heading for the corner. Wrapping one of the blankets around his shoulders the long way, he piled pillows up against the headboard and the wall before layering a few extra blankets over the one on the bed. Flipping the layers back, he sat down and got the pillows positioned as comfortably as he could behind himself. “C’mere, Ichi.” Opening his arms, Grimmjow reached out for his mate so they could try to get some rest without leaving the baby again. He knew he wasn’t going to get Ichigo back to the house tonight.

Walking over quietly, Ichigo kept the baby tucked to his chest. It was a little awkward to sit back against Grimmjow with his hands full, but warm hands on his hips helped get him settled before tugging the blankets back over their legs. “Thank you. For helping get us in here and not making me leave again.” 

Grimmjow wrapped his arms around Ichigo, bringing the blanket around his shoulders to cover the other man and their child in the process. “I wasn’t happy being so far from him, myself. Do you want to talk about that dream? I know it was bad, I’ve never seen you wake up pukin’ like that before.” 

He could feel the tension finally bleeding out of Ichigo as he rested his chin on his mate’s shoulder, and he watched a tiny little hand hold the ginger’s shirt in an equally tiny fist. Ichigo’s voice was soft and full of fear, but he did speak. “Aizen got free, he escaped the prison he’s in, and he came for the children. He came for ours first, caught me, and shattered my spine. I screamed for you to take the baby and run as far as you could, and you were doing it. But he was faster. While I was healing with Zangetsu’s ability, he took the baby from you and threw him. I had enough motion to be able to claw my way to him, but I couldn’t help you. Aizen ripped you limb from limb. Then he came and shattered my spine again, using kido to keep me conscious. He picked up the baby…” Ichigo trailed off and swallowed hard, and Grimmjow could feel the way the younger man trembled in his arms.

“God, Ichi. I’m sorry you saw that. We won’t let it come true, I promise you that. I won’t let anyone hurt you or our kid. Because he is ours.” There was no way he could deny that the baby in Ichigo’s arms belonged to them both. So what if the baby didn’t have a blood connection to Ichigo, he did to Grimmjow. And with them both being men, there was never going to be a way to have a child that was genetically both of theirs. “We’ll protect him as much as we can from anything and anyone that tries to hurt him.” 

Grimmjow could feel Ichigo’s cheeks pull into a smile, even as he caught the slightly salty scent of tears sliding down his mate’s cheeks. “We won’t be able to protect him from being bullied in school, kids can be cruel. But we can help him through it.” 

A low growl rumbled in Grimmjow’s chest at the thought. “What makes you so sure about that?”

“Personal experience.” Ichigo relaxed more into Grimmjow’s chest, his voice slurred slightly as sleep began to creep over him again. “I got bullied for my hair, and I think he’ll face that as well. Not to mention having two fathers, because that’s still super unusual.” 

Pressing a kiss to the side of Ichigo’s neck, Grimmjow lifted his hand and stroked the baby’s hair softly. “Then we’ll make sure to give him a good, strong name. An’ teach him how to stand up for himself. No cub o’ mine is gonna be a pushover.” He felt a little silly for being so attached so quickly, but this was a rare opportunity that he was hardly going to ignore.

Yawning, Ichigo wiggled a little to get more comfortable. Resting his head back against Grimmjow’s shoulder, he smiled softly. “Sleep now, worry later.” 

Grimmjow’s arms wrapped a little tighter around Ichigo, keeping him and the baby warm and safe. He let his eyes drift closed, though his senses were kept on alert. Sleep came quickly for the arrancar, he knew the value of sleeping when it was safe without dwelling on things that were on his mind. He heard the door open at one point, but there was no danger when it happened. Grimmjow could tell by the reiatsu of the newcomers that it was Inoue and Ishida, and their presence soon included the soft sound of a needle and thread passing through cloth over and over again. Despite how much crap he gave to the Quincy, having another fighter in the room did help Grimmjow to relax a little more and sleep a little deeper. 

The next time the door opened, Grimmjow actually pried his eyes open to observe the people entering the room. It was still deeply dark outside, though he had no idea what time it was. Halibel walked in first, with Starrk slouching in behind and Chad and Nel at the back. It seemed no one was able to sleep without their children being close by. Glancing over, he noticed that Ishida was sitting on the floor with his shoulders in position to catch the dark haired baby that Inoue was cuddling if the child rolled away from her. Nel and Starrk each took one of the beds with pillows and blankets still remaining, holding their children to their chests as they got comfortable. For Starrk it meant stretching out on his back with his little girl resting on his chest, while Nel was on her side holding her little boy in the same way that Inoue was. Earlier in the day, two rocking chairs had been found and brought to the makeshift nursery, and Halibel claimed one for herself. She made sure the blond child in her arms was wrapped up in his blanket and warm, while Chad picked the other up and sat it and himself at Nel’s side. As a panther, Grimmjow had never really been the type to need a pack, or pride, or whatever it should be called, but he wasn’t about to complain about the one he had at the moment. It was nice in a way to know he could be tied to people for more than just his strength or Aizen’s will. 

By the time the sun rose the next morning, Grimmjow’s neck was horribly stiff. The baby in Ichigo’s arms was starting to squirm, and it was clear by the smell that he was needing to be changed. Nudging the ginger, he spoke softly. “Hey Ichi, wake up. Kid needs to be changed, an’ I can’t get up ‘til you do.” He listened to Ichigo groan softly as he opened his eyes and looked down at the baby. Grimmjow felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked down into honey brown eyes full of trust. He’d noticed the day before how many of his own features the little boy shared, but the shock of having a child had kept him from really noticing those big brown eyes. Inoue had been right, he really did look like he had Ichigo’s eyes.

“Ugh...so much for sleeping in, now.” Ichigo’s voice was rough with sleep as he started sitting up and pulling away from Grimmjow. “Which one of us is on diaper duty?” 

Rolling his shoulders and neck, Grimmjow managed to get his legs out from either side of his mate to put his feet on the floor. “I’ll do it. Ya had a rough enough night last night.” Taking the baby from Ichigo’s arms, he shuffled over to the changing table that had been set aside the day before. It was an unpleasant experience, changing a diaper. He had no idea how such a small body could make such a smell, so he worked as quickly as he could. The baby giggled and grinned at him, clearly happy to have a clean bottom. “You’re lucky you’re cute, an’ you don’t care how you smell.” 

Once the baby was done getting changed, and his tiny outfit was back in place, Grimmjow went to sit back on the edge of the bed next to Ichigo. “We gotta give this kid a name. And probably feed him.” 

A weight hit his shoulder as Ichigo’s head landed there, leading to soft orange spikes tickling his mask. “Don’t teach him how to scowl, he’s too cute for that. And yeah, food is a good idea.” The baby in Grimmjow’s lap reached out and grabbed Ichigo’s finger, holding on tightly as he grinned toothily up at the arrancar.

“He can’t chew hard sh-stuff, can he?” Grimmjow cringed at how awkward he sounded, but at least he had stopped himself from cussing in front of the kid. The way Masaki had glared at him yesterday when he’d sworn near the children still sent shivers down his spine. 

“There’ll probably be more mushy rice with formula ready soon. Gotta keep it easy on their stomachs until the little ones are able to handle more complex foods.” Grimmjow glanced at Ichigo, feeling his heart flutter at the way the ginger was smiling at the baby. Damn if he wasn’t completely weak to the light in his mate’s eyes. “Should have brought my phone so we could have finalized a name for him.” 

Gently, Grimmjow handed the baby to Ichigo before moving to sit back against the head of the bed again. Once he was relatively comfortable, he pulled the ginger back up against him. “What was the one with the kanji for tiger in it again?”

Ichigo tried to get the baby to stand on his lap, managing to get him to brace his feet on the ginger’s thighs. “Mm, if I remember right it was Riku. Written as clever tiger.” Grimmjow didn’t need to see his mate’s face to know he was directing the next comment to the baby. “What do you think? Do you like the name Riku?”

In response, the baby let out a happy squeal as he stomped tiny feet onto Ichigo’s legs. “Sure seems to like it.” Reaching out, Grimmjow danced his fingertips over the baby’s belly to make him laugh more. “It’s a good thing you’re too little for sonido. Once we get yer legs built up for walkin’, you’ll be zoomin’ through the house.”

“You boys will be learning the importance of baby gates.” Masaki’s voice cut through Riku’s giggling as she came over with two small bowls of food. “Here, I made some with mashed bananas to see if he likes them. Plus some mushy rice like he had yesterday in case he doesn’t.”

“Thanks.” Grimmjow smiled a little at her before looking back at his son. “Ya hungry, cub? Wanna try some banana rice?”

“Let’s get you situated to have some breakfast, little one. Here, let Grandma put your bib on you.” Masaki was obviously doting on the little boy, which only seemed right to Grimmjow. He helped Ichigo turn Riku to face her, more than willing to let her feed her grandson. “Alright, ready for your first bite?” Masaki tried to feed Riku the banana rice, but he just kept recoiling from the spoon and refusing to open his mouth.

It was all Grimmjow could to to not start laughing when he caught sight of the look on the baby’s face. “Masaki, I don’ think he’s likin’ the banana part of it.” He couldn’t exactly blame the cub, he wasn’t fond of the fruit either. “You should jus’ switch to the regular stuff.”

Across the room, Halibel looked in Grimmjow’s direction. “What is a banana?”

“It’s a yellow fruit that looks like a dick and has a kinda leathery peel. Personally, I think they taste disgusting, an’ the cub agrees with me.” Glancing over, he saw that Yuzu had a small cart with a similar pair of bowls for Halibel’s son. “Maybe yours’ll like it, though.”

“If it helps at all, bananas are very healthy. They have lots of important nutrients for small children.” Grimmjow didn’t even have to look to know that Yuzu was hitting Halibel with her most disarming smile. Which was fine, since he was busy watching Riku scarf down the plain mushy rice like he thought it might vanish.

Chuckling softly, Grimmjow used the corner of the bib to wipe his son’s cheek. “The rice ain’t goin’ anywhere but your stomach, Riku. You can slow down.” 

“You’ve named him Riku? What kanji will you use for that?” Masaki didn’t even take her eyes off the little boy she was feeding, very obviously enamored with him.

“It’ll be written as clever tiger.” The pride in Ichigo’s voice was almost enough to make Grimmjow purr. Kurosaki Riku was a strong name for their cub, and he had no doubt the little boy would grow into it. Ichigo’s head leaned back against his shoulder, and he almost felt himself drowning in the ginger’s vibrant eyes. “We still need to decide what to teach him to call us. He should be talking soon, I think.” 

“I was thinkin’ about that when I was tryin’ to fall asleep last night. He’ll call you Dad, and call me Papa, which is Spanish for dad.” Grimmjow pressed a kiss to Ichigo’s cheek, having no interest in denying himself the contact. Glancing up, he smirked at Masaki as she fed Riku the last of the rice. “He’ll be a Kurosaki, too.” 

Eyes lighting up, Masaki practically beamed at Grimmjow and her son. “Really? And you don’t mind it?”

“Nah, it’ll be easier to spell for ‘im. He’ll get enough crap for his hair, at least based on what Ichi’s been through.” 

From across the room, Chad laughed softly. “I can attest to that. But Riku-chan will have Yuuto here to watch his back.

With Riku fully fed, Grimmjow pulled the baby back into his arms and let Ichigo get up. “So your brat’s name is Yuuto, huh? What about you, Hime? Picked a name for the third musketeer?”

Ichigo snorted at his comment, even as Ishida rolled his neck and spoke up on Inoue’s behalf. “His name is Sora, after his late uncle. Same kanji, too.”

“I think Tia is the only one who needs to pick a name for her ninõ. My princesa is Lily.” While it was rare for Starrk to sound like he was gloating, Grimmjow was certain the lazy wolf was doing exactly that. 

“Named her after your fraccion, eh?” He couldn’t deny it was a fitting name, and an excellent way to honor the fragment of himself that Starrk had lost to the new head captain when they’d faced each other.

“I will select the best name for my son that I can. I have not yet had a chance to look at possible names to choose from, but I am certain I can get access to such means.” Deceptively gentle fingers stroked bright blonde hair as Halibel looked down at the child in her lap. Grimmjow knew without a doubt that little boy would be just as spoiled as his own.

The main door to the room opened, permitting Isshin and two others into the room. Byakuya and Tatsuki each had bags in their hands, labeled from a toy store Grimmjow recognized as being near the ramen shop. “What’s in the bags?” 

“Stuffed animals. Orihime texted me yesterday to let me know what had happened, and my mom suggested getting each of the kids a soft toy.” Tatsuki grinned as she handed a bag each to Chad and Inoue. “Byakuya-san hadn’t ever been shopping in the living world, so I showed him around the local toy shop. Your boss says hi, by the way.” 

Grimmjow snorted in amusement, looking over as Ichigo was handed a bag by the dark haired shinigami. “He’s gonna sulk when I quit to look after this little guy.” Bouncing Riku lightly on his lap, he did his best to look into the bag that his mate was holding. “What’s our cub gettin’?”

Opening the bag, Ichigo started laughing as he reached in to pull out a stuffed cat. The fur of it was black, with a white face and belly. Setting the bag down on the floor, he held the cat up for Riku to grab onto. “Look, you have a kitty.” 

Riku grabbed the soft toy without hesitation, his little hands instantly trying to pull on the embroidered nose and eyes. Just because he could, Grimmjow took the cat’s tail and ran it lightly over the little boy’s leg. In response, Riku squealed and squeezed the cat tighter. Looking up with a smile, the arrancar met Byakuya’s eyes. “Thank you. He seems to really like it.” 

A small smile pulled at the corners of the shinigami’s lips as he turned to distribute the other two bags in his hands. “I’m glad he enjoys the toy.” 

“This little guy is going to have more toys than he knows what to do with, I’m sure.” Grimmjow’s own smile ticked a hair wider before curling down into a frown. “We still need to figure out how to make space for ‘im.”

“Isshin and I were talking about that last night. He has a small two story house here that he’s gotten fixed back up, and is thinking of connecting it to the house in the living world with...I think he called it kido?” Shifting to sit more comfortably on the edge of the bed, Masaki tucked some hair behind her ear. “That way, I won’t have to be sitting around wondering when you’ll all be able to come for a visit. I mean, I can’t just start wandering around the world of the living all willy-nilly, but I could at least be there at home to help out with Riku. And if Uryuu-kun and Inoue-chan need someone to look after Sora-chan, I’m more than happy to do so.”

“Really?” There was a hopeful note in Inoue’s voice that almost bothered Grimmjow, though he couldn’t figure out why. “It would only be until graduation, I don’t want to tarnish Uryuu’s reputation by being a high school drop out.”

“I’m positive. I love kids, and my most recent memories of my life were raising Ichigo, so I’m still very accustomed to toddlers.” Masaki beamed at Inoue, the smile so much like Ichigo’s own that Grimmjow almost felt his breath catch in his throat. His mate really did take more after his mother than his father. 

“I know the home you speak of, and I have doubts about it being large enough for your needs.” Unexpectedly, Byakuya turned to Masaki and sat seiza on the floor next to her. “I would be remiss in my duty as your nephew not to offer a home with more space. You are, after all, family. No doubt you and Uncle will desire a room large enough for your comfort. And certainly Ichigo and Jaegerjaquez will desire the same. A room for young Riku is a certainty, and at least one extra bath for so many would not be amiss either.”

“Toshiro and Yumichika will need to have easy access, so the twins should probably get their own rooms. But if Grimm and I move to a new room, one of them can take our current room. As much as I don’t like the idea, Karin and Yuzu shouldn’t have to suffer the insane itch just because their soulmates are older than them.” Based on the way Ichigo was grimacing, Grimmjow knew it was paining him to say such a thing. He had to admit he wasn’t thrilled about the girls having shinigami in their beds either, but he wasn’t willing to wish that hell on them, either. 

Looking over at her sister, who had also come along to help distribute food to the little ones, Yuzu was quick to stake her claim. “Dibs! I call dibs on Ichi-nii and Grimm-nii’s room.”

“Ugh, fine.” Karin heaved a sigh and tried to sound put out, but Grimmjow could see that she was trying not to smile. “I’m gonna go see where everyone else’s breakfasts are at.”

“Thank you!” The cheer in Ichigo’s voice made Grimmjow smile, he couldn’t deny that he was hungry, too. 

Watching as Karin left the room, Grimmjow bit his lip for a moment. The question on his mind was important, at least to his mind, but he was hesitating. The peace they were working on for the three worlds was so fragile, but he wanted to make it work. He wanted Riku to grow up safe, far more than he’d ever wanted strength of his own. “Could we...I mean, would it be possible to have a door that would go to Las Noches? If we’re gonna hook the living world to Soul Society in a permanent way, can’t we do the same for my world? And if it’s set ta somewhere in Las Noches, only we can get to it. Well, us an’ Szayel an’ the Tres Bestia.”

“Tres Bestia?” Masaki looked concerned at that, but Grimmjow hadn’t bothered learning the fraccion apart from each other. 

“My three fraccion. Apache, Sun-sun, and Mila Rose called themselves Tres Bestia even before I came upon them. They have the unique ability to combine their powers into a large creature that they control. He is formidable, but little more than a puppet in their hands.” Halibel’s voice held what Grimmjow could only identify as fondness as she spoke of the three annoyances. He could almost imagine them falling all over themselves and each other to fawn over Halibel’s son. 

Masaki nodded in understanding, though Grimmjow thought he saw trepidation in her eyes. “They won’t be a threat to any of the children or the rest of my family, will they?”

Halibel shook her head, pausing in her feeding of her son to look directly at the fire haired woman. “On my honor as the Queen of Hueco Mundo and as a mother, your family will come to no harm at the hands of my fraccion. Should they rebel and take up arms against your family, I will deliver their heads to you myself.”

It was terrible of him, but Grimmjow couldn’t help laughing at the look on Masaki’s face. The prospect of having severed heads brought to her clearly unsettled the otherwise peaceful woman. “Don’ think that’s needed, Halibel. ‘Sides, you’d have to get ta them before I do if they get that stupid.”

“Ok, I know Riku is gonna need a certain amount of reishii in his diet, but no teaching him how to eat like a hollow until he can at least write his own name.” Grimmjow could tell that his mate was trying not to laugh, but that was alright. He was fine with Ichigo imposing such a limit, there was no way of even knowing how much power their cub would have. 

Leaning sideways, Grimmjow bumped Ichigo’s shoulder with his own. “Alright, I suppose that’s fair enough. Oughta teach you how ta do it first, anyway.” As much as the ginger might dislike his hollow side, it was important to be in touch with it. 


	31. Chapter 31

Standing over Riku’s crib, Grimmjow couldn’t quite bring himself to leave. He knew the rest of the family, including both of the twins’ soulmates, were waiting downstairs for him, but he didn’t care. It had been two weeks since bringing the toddler back to the living world, but he still hadn’t fully gotten used to having such a tiny and weak lifeform so utterly dependent on him for everything. It was so strange to be so protective, too. Sure, he’d been protective of his fraccion, but they could also take care of themselves. He’d only cared about their safety because they had chosen to follow him and had accepted him when no one else would. And he was protective of Ichigo, but that was a two way street. The ginger was just as protective of him, even if he did still bristle at the concept. Riku was wholly different, and it still shook him at times. 

“Everything alright?” Isshin’s voice cut through the silence of the nursery, his frame blocking the low light from the hall.

Grimmjow reached down and tugged Riku’s blanket back over him and his stuffed cat just a little more. It was really starting to get cold out, and he wanted his cub warm. “Does it get easier?”

He heard Isshin walk into the room, and it was only a few beats of his heart before a heavy arm was draped over his shoulders. “Eventually he’ll get too big and too stubborn to let you tuck him in. And someday you’ll trust his soulmate to help him sleep this peacefully. But if you’re wondering if you’ll ever feel less protective of him, the answer is no. It won’t matter how old he gets, or how strong he gets, he’ll always be this tiny person who you want to keep safe from the world.” 

“How do you do it? How have you ever been able to let Ichigo do what he’s done without ripping the throats out of everyone who has ever been a threat to him. Me included.” Looking away from the crib, Grimmjow’s brow furrowed as he looked at Isshin.

“I’m not going to lie, it hasn’t been easy. But I had to take time to get my powers back after he was born, and I got complacent by not needing to take up my blade. One of the hardest things you’ll ever have to do is let Riku fight his own battles and struggle through learning things on his own. He’s gonna get scrapes and bruises and heartaches, but they’ll make him stronger in the end.” The exhaustion in Isshin’s voice mixed with pride as he steered Grimmjow back out to the hall and toward the stairs to the living room. 

Sighing, he made sure his focus was on Riku at least in part. Reiatsu sense was better than any baby monitor that could be made. “If I could, I’d hide Ichi an’ our cub from the world so neither of them could ever get hurt by anything again. But Ichi’d kick my ass for it.” 

“Only because you did it for him before he could do it for you.” Laughing softly, Isshin nudged Grimmjow down the stairs to the living room. “Now that I’ve successfully herded the cat, we can watch the movie!” Being so far from the baby’s room, the patriarch of the house returned to his boisterous self before practically diving into the oversized chair that Masaki was keeping warm for him. 

“Dad, knock it off before you start making Yukichika think his squad has more sanity than we do.” Rolling his eyes, Ichigo scooted over on the loveseat that Grimmjow had bought with his savings to make room for the arrancar. In his hands was a bowl with two spoons and several scoops of the sorbet that Grimmjow really liked. 

Taking the seat next to his mate, the arrancar pulled a blanket over his lap. It was late fall, he was about to enjoy a cold treat, and it just made him feel cozy. Once he felt settled in, he slipped an arm around Ichigo and pulled him close. “Aside from his taicho, pretty sure Pretty Boy knows his squad is saner than you, Isshin.” He saw the way Yumichika’s eye twitched from the nickname, which made him smirk as he took a spoonful of the sorbet.

“Let’s just watch the movie, alright?” There was laughter in Masaki’s voice as she hit the play button, and Grimmjow was more than happy to keep quiet. It was quickly clear that the movie wasn’t something that he was completely wild about as far as plot, but his mate was warm at his side and the atmosphere of the room was relaxing. Based on what he could sense, Riku was sleeping soundly, so he let himself zone out and sink into what Ichigo called his inner world. With as close as he was to being a shinigami, he had been working on learning how to grow stronger by accessing more of Pantera’s power. 

When the movie ended, Ichigo nudged Grimmjow to get him to stir. Rubbing at his eyes, the arrancar forced himself to sit upright again. “Time for bed now?” He hadn’t even realized how tired he was, but apparently his meditation had turned into a nap, and now crawling in bed to leech Ichigo’s warmth sounded heavenly. 

“I’ll put the bowl away and meet you upstairs.” Ichigo’s fingers trailed down his arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Rising to his feet, Grimmjow stretched and watched his mate leave the room before heading to their bathroom. That had been one of Byakuya’s best ideas, giving Ichigo and himself their own bathroom and toilet. Of course, Isshin and Masaki had their own as well, but it absolutely helped streamline mornings when Ichigo and the twins were rushing off to school. 

A quick peek into Riku’s room, a few brief minutes to brush his teeth and wash his face, and Grimmjow was burrowing into the blankets on their bed. The lamp on Ichigo’s nightstand was on, the only source of light in their otherwise dark room. He smiled as he tracked his mate, noticing keenly how the ginger paused to check on their cub before coming to bed. As soon as the light was off and Ichigo was under the covers, Grimmjow moved, pulling the other man close and resting his head on Ichigo’s chest. As he got comfortable, a please sigh slipped out, quickly followed by nimble fingers combing through his hair. 

The chest under Grimmjow’s cheek moved with the sound of Ichigo’s soft laughter. “You just love me for my body heat.” 

“Nah, but it is on the list.” Snickering, Grimmjow leaned into the touch to his scalp. If it was anyone else trying to play with his hair, aside from Masaki because she only did it when he had really been freaking out about the whole parenting thing, that person would have been missing an arm in moments. But Ichigo’s touch was relaxing and wanted, and he would freely admit to being spoiled by his mate. “Been thinkin’ about somethin’, thought I oughta run it by you before just doing it.” Partnership meant keeping each other in the loop, after all.

Ichigo’s free hand adjusted the covers over them, making sure to keep himself warm in the process. “Yeah? What’s up?”

Even as comfortable as he was, Grimmjow moved to let his chin dig into the hard muscle of Ichigo’s pectoral so he could look his mate in the eyes. “I’m thinkin’ about going back to the ramen shop. Masaki’s said she’s more’n willing to watch Riku while I do, and I never worked more than the lunch rush before anyway. Plus, shit’s been pretty quiet with Hueco Mundo an’ the shinigami.” 

“I think it’s a good idea.” Ichigo smiled, pausing only to let out a yawn. “I can tell you’ve been restless since the treaty was signed, and I know you liked working there. If it’s something that you really want to do, you have my support.” 

Grimmjow laid his head back down on Ichigo’s chest, knowing that he’d be purring loudly if he could. “Figured you’d say that, but wanted to make sure.” It was all part of the communication thing they were constantly working on. “Wanna go spar in the desert this weekend? Be a change of pace, an’ maybe we can hunt some weaklings.” 

Ichigo’s reply was slower than Grimmjow had expected, but the slurring of his voice made it obvious the ginger was teetering on the edge of sleep. “Sure, sounds fun. Maybe Halibel will finally have a name picked for her kid so we know what to put on his Christmas present next month.”

Humming out an agreeing sound, Grimmjow closed his eyes and let himself relax. Even though this part of the house was in soul society, a place that should feel inherently dangerous to him, he was completely at ease. Deep in his soul, a long forgotten part of himself felt light and free with the family that he had to rely on now. All his years as a hollow seemed so much longer ago that it truly had been.

The next morning, on the way down to breakfast with Riku on his hip, Grimmjow awkwardly typed out a text to see if the offer to return to his job at the shop was still standing. He didn’t even have time to put his phone back in his pocket before getting an incredibly enthusiastic reply inviting him to return that very day. He held back on replying to that one, just in case Masaki needed him to stay home to help her with the kids and showing Nel how to human. He had to admit, the female arrancar was having a rougher time than he’d had, but she was learning how to act human and take care of her kid and the place they shared with Chad very quickly. Strapping Riku into his high-chair, Grimmjow stepped over to the kitchen and poured himself some coffee while Masaki cooked up a feast. “Hey, you got a second?”

While he knew that she loved to cook for her family, he wasn’t sure if she would be able to spare any focus for him. A smiling glance in his direction proved him wrong. “Sure, what is it you need this morning, Grimm-kun?” There was almost a strained note in her voice, but Grimmjow didn’t mind. He knew what he was, even if he was currently looking fully human.

“I’ve decided to go back to working at the ramen shop, and the owner said I can start again today. If that’s too little notice for you, I can put it off a few days and start there again next week.” He did his best to hide how eager he was to have a reason to leave the house on his own, but had a feeling he wasn’t overly successful. 

Masaki stood on her toes and reached up to ruffle his still sleep-mussed hair. “Start today. If I have to watch you climb the walls in boredom for another full day, I’ll start taking blackmail videos for fun. I do have that fancy phone from Urahara-san.”

For a moment, Grimmjow worried that he was going to shoot coffee out of his nose when he snorted at her comment. Batting away the hand messing with his hair gently, he grinned down at her. “It’s only four hours, so I’ll be back mid afternoon. I’m sure the cub’ll keep ya busy til then.”

“Nel-chan and I can have some girl time. It’ll be fine.” With a laugh, Masaki plated up some of the food and held a pair of dishes out to him. “Now, take these to the table, would you? Yumi-kun and Toshiro-kun are joining us for breakfast, and they should be down soon.”

Setting his mug on the counter, Grimmjow took the plates of fish and toast to the table. There was already jam and a knife ready and waiting, as well as covered bowls that he knew would be miso. Masaki’s cooking was a massive change from what Yuzu would typically make in the mornings, but he wasn’t complaining. The food was all still wonderful, and he was tempted to gloat to Starrk and Halibel next time he saw them. “Need me to pick up any groceries on my way back this afternoon?”

“I’ll make a list after breakfast, thank you.” Masaki smiled broadly as she started passing rice bowls to him. “What time do you need to leave by?” 

“Gotta be there by 10, so 9:58 gives me time to swap my ring back to my left hand and come in through the back door of the shop.” 

Once the table was fully set, and most everyone had trickled down to the table, Grimmjow took a seat between Riku and Ichigo. He’d topped off his coffee, and his mate had made sure to fill a plate for him while he’d gotten some finger food ready for the toddler. “I’ll be startin’ back up today.” 

Ichigo arched an eyebrow at him, pausing between bites to take a drink of the doctored coffee that the ginger preferred before speaking. “He was really desperate to get you to come back, huh.”

“Sure seems like it.” Grimmjow snorted in amusement, digging into his own breakfast with gusto. He could feel the confused look from Yumichika, but Toshiro had already heard about his day job and was less surprised. 

“What in the world are you talking about?” Frowns never looked quite right on Yumichika’s face, but Grimmjow didn’t care. It wasn’t his job to keep the fifth seat happy.

“Had a job at a ramen shop before findin’ out about Riku. Decided ta go back and start up again.” Shrugging, Grimmjow spared a moment to keep his cub from trying to throw a piece of pickle into his coffee cup before reaching for some toast. He liked putting his fish between two slices to have a sandwich.

Toshiro took over the explanation, not even looking up from his own meal. “Apparently Yadomaru and Muguruma bred while they were in hiding. Their son opened a ramen shop and is Jaegerjaquez’s boss.”

The shocked look on Yumichika’s face soon melted into a wicked grin. “Oh, I can’t  _ wait _ to rub that into Renji’s face. As much as he has pissed and moaned about Urahara giving him grief for freeloading when he was on assignment here, knowing that you have a job that you’ve willingly gone back to is going to make his blood boil.” 

A dark smirk crossed Ichigo’s face. “Take pictures, would you?”

“Of course,  _ Oniisan _ .” The saccharine tone in Yumichika’s voice made Grimmjow laugh, mostly because he knew it annoyed Ichigo greatly.

Breakfast ended in its usual blur of activity with Ichigo and the twins rushing out the door, Inoue and Ishida quickly dropping off Sora, and Isshin sweeping into the clinic. Grimmjow dug out one of his more comfortable sets of work clothes and pulled them on, walking down the stairs as he tied a rag around his head to keep his hair covered. Since most of his work was prepping and dish washing, a rag was just as good as a hair net, and far more absorbent. “Got that grocery list ready?”

“Wow. I didn’t think you could look like more of a thug than you already do, Grimm-chan.” Nel was seated on the floor holding a mirror up over her head as Masaki braided her hair so she could watch the woman’s hands work.

Ever the paragon of maturity, Grimmjow stuck his tongue out at his fellow arrancar. He was getting used to seeing her without her mask, though she had clearly asked to keep her estigma. “I’d tell you to bite me but you actually would.” It was a common comeback from Karin, and Grimmjow had found himself using it when telling someone to fuck off wasn’t situationally appropriate. 

Nel scoffed and directed her eyes back to the mirror in her hands. The three toddlers were all sitting on the floor babbling to each other and generally being well behaved, which was the norm. “I would not bite you, Grimmjow. That’s Ichigo’s job.”

Behind her, Masaki snorted and tried not to laugh. “The list is on the dinner table, along with some money. The food is for the whole family, so you shouldn’t have to pay for it all by yourself. Isshin said there are reusable bags in the coat closet that you can take with you if you want to.”

“I know the ones he’s talking about.” Picking up the list, Grimmjow folded it and stuffed it in his wallet to keep it safe. He’d had water get to his back pockets before, and didn’t want to make the paper illegible. Slipping on his shoes, he grabbed the bags and moved his ring to his right hand. “See ya.” 

Stepping out the door, he used sonido to get to the alley behind the restaurant. Standing in the backdoor was his boss, looking eager for something. “I ain’t late, am I?”

“No. But since you took time off because you have a child now, I want to see pictures.” Grimmjow rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone at that. He should have known, really. Matsushita was big on family, having been raised by all of the vizards before taking his wife’s name when they married. And with his youngest already in elementary school, Grimmjow wondered how much longer until there was another mouth for the man to feed.

“Here.” Grimmjow chose his favorite picture of Riku, showing the little boy grinning toothily as he squeezed his stuffed cat. Out of frame, Ichigo had been making a silly face to get the baby to smile for the camera. 

“Oh geeze, he’s adorable.” Matsushita admired the photo for a few moments as Grimmjow entered the restaurant and put an apron over his clothing. “When he’s ready for his first bowl of ramen, you bring him here. Take him anywhere else, I’ll sic Auntie Hiyori on you.”

With his phone back in his pocket, and the bags on the hook he’d taken the apron from, Grimmjow headed to the sinks to wash his hands. It had very nearly been beaten into him literally how important cleanliness was for food safety, and it wasn’t a lesson he intended to forget. “She’s the one that didn’t go back to soul society, yeah?”

Beside him, Matsushita also washed up before starting to pile vegetables on a cutting board for his employee. “She’s tiny, but ruthless. And she’s not fond of your sort, so any excuse would be welcome in her book.” 

After drying his hands, Grimmjow took his favorite knife from the magnetic holder on the wall and got to work. Even with the ring back on his left hand, he still had his hierro, so cutting himself wasn’t a concern. “Anyone told her there’s an official truce on? Or does she not give a shit?”

“I think she might be allergic to giving a shit about anyone but Shinji. And my kids. She spoils them rotten.” The atmosphere in the small kitchen was so familiar and relaxed, it was almost like he’d never left. Sure, it’d been about a month since he’d worked last, but Grimmjow was pleased how easily he and his boss slipped back into their routine.

At eleven sharp, the door was unlocked and customers started flowing in. Some of the regulars were quick to welcome Grimmjow back when he came to collect their dishes, and he’d have been lying to say he disliked it. He stayed busy all the way through the lunch rush, pausing during a lull to drink something and eat some gyoza for his lunch. 

By the end of his shift, Grimmjow was tired. He felt sweaty and gross, and he still had an errand to run. If he was being honest with himself, though, it was a good feeling. It wasn’t as good as the feeling after a hard sparring match, but it was in the same vein, and he couldn’t keep from smiling. Di Roy and Edrad would laugh at him for it, and he missed them all over again at the thought. But brooding over his fallen comrades accomplished nothing, so he shook the feeling off. Hanging up his apron, he waved goodbye and left out the front door of the restaurant. It wasn’t a long walk to the store, and he’d remembered to grab the shopping bags when he’d put his apron away. The inside of the store, though, looked like absolute chaos. Apparently there was some sort of amazing sale going on, and the aisles were packed with other shoppers trying to get the best deals. 

The grocery shopping took so long that Ichigo was arriving home at the same time he was finishing putting things away in the kitchen. There was a gleam in the ginger’s eyes as he looked the arrancar over, and it made Grimmjow’s blood sing in his veins. “You haven’t showered yet, have you?”

“Nope, ain’t been home long enough. I’ve been in friendlier massacres than that grocery store, just because there was some kinda sale on oysters or somethin’.” Shutting the fridge with his hip, Grimmjow flashed a playful smirk at Ichigo. He was tangentially aware of Sora getting picked up, as well as Nel and Yuuto leaving, but none of that mattered. Stepping into his mate’s personal space, he could almost taste the powerful reiatsu that Ichigo always broadcast. Pitching his voice low, he murmured softly. “Wanna join me?”


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just porn. Enjoy.

Grimmjow noticed the way a shudder shook Ichigo’s frame at his words. The ginger leaned back a litte, talking to his mother without taking his eyes off the arrancar. “Mom, you don’t mind watching Riku a little longer, right?”

Masaki laughed softly from the living room. “I’m not delaying dinner, but I certainly won’t say no to more time with my grandbaby.”

Knowing that they didn’t have to worry about Riku any, Grimmjow threw Ichigo over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry and used sonido to get them both to their private bathroom. Once inside, he set the ginger down and started shucking off his own clothes. “Didn’t wanna waste any time. We ain’t had a lot of it to ourselves since we got home.” 

Ichigo staggered a bit, clearly not having expected to be picked up and carried like he’d been. Within seconds he was peeling out of his uniform just as fast as Grimmjow was stripping. “Do I look like I’m complaining?”

Grimmjow moved forward half a step, crowding Ichigo against the counter. Leaning in, he kissed his mate deeply, revelling in the sensation and the way Ichigo tasted on his tongue. Pressing their bodies together, he moaned into the ginger’s mouth as their lengths ground against each other. “Fuck...need you so fuckin’ much, Ichi.”

Wiry arms wrapped around Grimmjow’s shoulders as Ichigo’s lips trailed along the right side of his jaw. Without his mask there, the skin was extra sensitive, and a shiver tore down his spine. “Think you can hold me up in the shower? Or you gonna bend me over the counter?”

The mental images those options invoked had his hips jerking forward to rock against Ichigo. “Both. Why choose when I don’t need to?” A quick burst of sonido and he was back and pressing his full weight against the ginger. Opening his hand, he dropped the bottle of lube onto the counter just behind Ichigo as his lips traced over the man’s jugular. A year ago, he wouldn’t have hesitated to bite and rip, tearing out the thick artery and drinking down the man’s life. Now, though, he just wanted to leave a mark. Let the world see that Kurosaki Ichigo, the man who had saved all the realms, belonged to him.

Ichigo’s head fell back as a whining moan slipped from his lips, his body arching against Grimmjow as he bared his neck. “Yes...gimme more, Grimm.”

Moving his hands to slim hips, Grimmjow pulled Ichigo away from the counter. While he wanted to keep tasting and nipping at his lover’s skin, the need to feel Ichigo’s heat surround him fully was far more intense. He guided the ginger to turn and face the counter, one hand sliding up to rest where he knew the hollow hole of his mate’s vasto lorde form sat before applying just enough pressure to get the hybrid to bend over. “Spread your feet a little more, Ichi. It’ll be more comfortable.”

Slim legs shifted a bit farther apart as Grimmjow picked up the lube and popped open the lid. Squeezing some out onto his fingers, he used his reiatsu to warm it up a little faster. He didn’t want to have to wait any longer than necessary to be inside his mate. Stroking his free hand along Ichigo’s spine, the arrancar slowly started to ease a finger into the ginger. They hadn’t really had the time, the energy, or the focus for sex since returning to the living world, and he wasn’t willing to cause pain if he didn’t have to. At least not in this situation. Ichigo’s upper body lowered as he dropped to supporting himself on his forearms on the counter, rocking back onto Grimmjow’s finger eagerly. “Shit, yes...gimme more.” 

The wantonness in Ichigo’s voice made Grimmjow’s cock twitch eagerly as he worked on adding another finger. “You wanna be able to sit tonight, be patient. I’m goin’ as fast as you can handle.”

“I can handle faster. Got Zangetsu’s instant regeneration, so I’ll be fine. Now hurry up.” While his words were demanding, Grimmjow had to admit there wasn’t much intimidation factor when it sounded more like his mate was begging. 

“Just a little more, Gorgeous.” Grimmjow was breathing heavily, struggling to keep himself under control as he worked a third finger into Ichigo. He knew the ginger would be able to handle it, but he wanted as little pain and discomfort as possible. Thankfully it wasn’t much longer before Ichigo felt ready for him, so he withdrew his fingers and coated his length before lining up. As he pressed in, Grimmjow looked into the mirror above the counter so he could watch Ichigo’s face to any traces of pain. 

Ichigo moaned as Grimmjow slid into him, his body tensing for a few brief moments before relaxing in anticipation of the pleasure that was to come. Raising his head, his eyes met Grimmjow’s in the mirror, and the arrancar growled lowly at the way dark pupils had eclipsed the deep coffee color he was used to seeing. Moving his hands to the edge of the counter, Grimmjow braced his weight as he lowered his head to press a kiss to the back of his mate’s shoulder. “Gonna watch me take you, Ichi? That way you can see how fuckin’ good you look on my cock.”

The whine that slipped from Ichigo’s lips went straight to Grimmjow’s cock, causing him to buck into the ginger. Now that he was moving, he couldn’t bring himself to stop. Setting a steady rhythm, Grimmjow felt his gaze gravitating to the mirror. It was a major turn on to see the way Ichigo’s expression twisted in ecstasy as a well aimed thrust hit his prostate, but the arrancar found his focus splitting a little. Never having seen his own face during sex before, Grimmjow had no idea his eyes could turn such a dark shade of blue. He tracked a bead of sweat from behind his ear slide down his neck and over his collarbone. He could also see the way Ichigo’s almost black eyes followed that same droplet. 

It was far more erotic than he’d anticipated to watch himself moving within Ichigo, and Grimmjow wasn’t sure he’d be able to last much longer now that he’d discovered this new information. Releasing the counter, his left hand went back to a pale hip while his right reached under his mate. Taking Ichigo’s length in hand, he stroked the ginger in time with his thrusts as he leaned over the younger man’s back. “Watch yourself, Ichi. Watch yourself come for me.” 

Prior to Grimmjow’s command, Ichigo’s head had dropped down to face the counter in response to the way the arrancar’s hand felt around his length. Looking up into the mirror again, his knees nearly buckled. The hand that had been on his hip moved, a strong arm wrapping around his waist to hold him up. “Fuck...Grimm, close. Harder…”

Grimmjow wasn’t quite sure if Ichigo wanted him to thrust harder or stroke harder, so he did both. He could feel his own climax rushing up on him quickly, and there would be no denying it. Letting out a growling moan, his eyes rolled back a little as he stiffened. Short, abortive thrusts were all that Grimmjow could manage while coming, spending the majority of his focus to not squeeze Ichigo’s cock so hard he caused injury. As the pleasure began to abate ever so slightly, he went back to stroking the ginger. “Do it...come for me, Gorgeous.” 

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Ichigo was moaning wantonly and clenching around him. The sensation drew a sound that was nearly a whine from Grimmjow as the ginger spilled over his hand and the doors of the cabinets in front of them. Honestly, Grimmjow didn’t give a flying fuck about the cabinets. They could wipe the damn things down later. At the moment it was all he could do keep them both upright, but he was determined to do just that. Not only would collapsing hurt Ichigo, it would cause too much noise. Breathing heavily, Grimmjow nuzzled the spot right behind Ichigo’s ear. There was a wild grin on his face, and the hoarse sound of his mate’s voice only notched it wider. “Fucking hell, Grimm...you might have to carry me to dinner. Think my legs’ll be jelly by then.” 

A deep laugh rumbled in Grimmjow’s chest as he brought his soiled hand out from under Ichigo. Looking in the mirror, he made sure those chocolate colored eyes were watching as he licked his fingers clean. “I can do that.” Ichigo let out a needy sound that had his still half hard cock twitching eagerly inside the ginger. “I still owe you a second round, after all.” 

Ichigo closed his eyes and sucked in a shaking breath. “Get the water started while I make sure I can stand long enough to get into the shower with you.” 

Pulling out slowly, Grimmjow nipped the spot he’d been nuzzling moments earlier before taking a step back. He couldn’t help looking at Ichigo’s ass, watching his seed leak out of the other man. It would be the biggest lie in the world to deny what a turn on that sight was. Hell, just knowing he would be the only one to ever see this side of the savior of the worlds was a power trip and a half all on its own. Backing up into the shower stall of their private bathroom, he turned on the water full blast, going right for the heat setting they both preferred. “C’mere, Ichi. Got the water just how you like it.” 

Bracing his hands on the counter, Ichigo stood fully upright and looked at Grimmjow in the mirror. “You gonna be able to handle another round?” There was a playful smirk on his lips as he stretched, presumably to work the tension out of his spine from being folded over the counter. 

Letting out a growl that would have been annoyed had there been any heat behind it, Grimmjow reached down and took himself in hand. “Get the fuck in here and I’ll show you.” He was halfway under the spray, and his hair showed it. Half was plastered to his scalp from the force of the water, and the other half was still mussed from removing the rag that had been wrapped around his head for hours. 

When he’d started stroking himself, Grimmjow would have had to be blind not to see the hunger in Ichigo’s gaze. Though the steam from the shower was starting to fog the mirror, that dark look made the arrancar moan softly. It only took two steps for the ginger to close the distance between them once he’d turned around, and he hadn’t hesitated to reach up and pull Grimmjow down into a heated kiss. 

Letting out a soft groan, Grimmjow’s hands found their way to Ichigo’s slim hips. Turning them under the water, he pressed the ginger up against the tile wall as his tongue mapped the contours of his mate’s mouth. He couldn’t quite get over how anyone could taste so good without giving him the urge to consume them, but perhaps it was just more proof that they were properly matched by the hands of fate. Breaking the kiss, his lips traveled down to Ichigo’s neck to taste his sweat and the residue of the powerful reiatsu thrumming under his mate’s skin. “Wrap your arms around me, Ichi.” 

Ichigo didn’t hesitate to do as he was told, his tanned arms wrapping around Grimmjow’s broad shoulders and hanging on. “Need me to hop up?” 

“Nah, I gotcha.” Grimmjow widened his stance just a little before squatting ever so slightly. Once he had his hands under Ichigo’s buttocks, he lifted. With his strength, it was easy to pick up his mate, and it helped that the ginger automatically wrapped his legs around the arrancar’s trim waist. Lining up to press back in was a challenge in this position, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him. Guiding Ichigo’s hips up higher, Grimmjow used one hand to reach under his mate. Once he finally was lined up and certain he wouldn’t hurt either of them. He stopped supporting quite as much of Ichigo’s weight. The assistance of gravity was enough to have him fully seated inside the ginger once more. “Ah...fuck, you feel good....”

In his arms, Ichigo shook and whimpered as he adjusted to Grimmjow’s girth again. “Nn...Grimm...don’t hold back. Give it to me.” There was a desperate note in his voice, and Grimmjow was powerless to deny such a request. 

It was certainly a challenge, taking his mate under a steady spray of water with them both being wet and slippery. It helped that he could brace Ichigo against the wall, and Grimmjow made sure that he took full advantage of that fact. With a grunt, he started thrusting up into the tight heat he was already addicted to. How he had survived two whole weeks without being buried inside his mate, he had no idea. Grimmjow buried his face against Ichigo’s neck, leaving sloppy kisses and bite marks. 

Ichigo simply held on tight, unable to do much to move or match Grimmjow’s motions. His own length was fully hard and leaking between their bodies, but he couldn’t spare a hand to stroke himself. Instead he bared his neck and ran his fingers through silken blue hair. “H-harder. Fuck me harder.” His voice was raspy, almost lost under the heavy breaths against the base of his throat and the sound of the shower. 

Shifting his feet a little, Grimmjow let Ichigo slide down the wall just a bit. With his mate lower, it was easier to really buck up into him. “Shit...you feel so fuckin’ perfect, Ichi.” Even though he’d come just minutes earlier, he was already on the edge of coming again. “Won’t last.”

“Do it. Fill me.” There was a desperate edge to Ichigo’s words as his legs tightened around Grimmjow’s waist. Each thrust tore a whining moan from the ginger’s throat as his cock bounced against his abs. “Wanna come...wanna feel you come in me.” 

Damn if Ichigo didn’t know just what to say to set his blood on fire. Flexing his toes to try and get better purchase on the wet tile floor, Grimmjow started rutting into the ginger with renewed vigor. Within a dozen or so thrusts, he locked his knees as a low moan spilled from his lips. He came just as hard as he had watching Ichigo in the mirror, and it was only because he was pinning his mate to the wall that he was able to keep himself upright. 

The feel of Grimmjow coming inside of him was thrilling, but not quite enough. Ichigo moved a hand down between them to stroke himself. It only took a few tugs before his back arched away from the wall as he came again as well. “Ah!” Sagging back against the wall, he moved his arm back around Grimmjow’s shoulder as tremors wracked his limbs.

Ichigo’s climax had pulled a weak whine from Grimmjow, it was almost too much to feel the ginger clamping down on him. “Fuckin’ hell, Ichi. Gonna be the death of me.”

A tired laugh accompanied nimble fingers sweeping his bangs back from his forehead as shaking hands guided him away from where he had buried his face. “You’re not allowed to die before me. Making that a new rule.”

Snorting in amusement, Grimmjow claimed Ichigo’s lips in a slow kiss. Whatever his mortal life had been, fate must have felt it owed him for all his years fighting for survival in the wasteland of Hueco Mundo to give him such a mate. “Fine. But you better not die for good for a long goddamn time.” 

“Deal. Now either put me down or hand me the shampoo and I’ll wash your hair for you.” 


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And back to the fluff. ^__^

By the time Ichigo and Grimmjow wandered back downstairs, the smell of food cooking was permeating the living room. It was an amazing scent, and Grimmjow could feel his stomach growling in anticipation. “Smells great, Masaki. What’re you making?” As his feet hit the ground floor, he smiled at the sight of Riku playing with Isshin on the other side of the couch. 

Looking over at Grimmjow, Masaki smiled. “Cream stew with fish, and yes there are vegetables in it.” 

“Eh, I’ll survive. Gotta eat ‘em if I want the cub to do the same.” With a shrug, he started walking toward Riku until Isshin held a hand up to stop him. “What?” He felt Ichigo stop next to him, and he didn’t need to look to know his mate was just as perplexed as he felt.

Turning to face Grimmjow and Ichigo, Isshin helped Riku stand up on his wobbly legs. “Alright, little guy, time to show your Dads what you can do.” 

Grimmjow held his breath as the toddler got his balance. Slowly but surely, one little foot was put in front of the other. Riku’s arms were held out at his sides, an instinctive way to help himself balance as he took another step. Then another. Grimmjow could feel the grin on his face, it was so big it almost hurt. Crouching down, he held his arms out toward the little boy to encourage Riku to come to him. A few more shaky steps and Riku almost fell forward into Grimmjow’s grasp. Sweeping him up into a hug, Grimmjow stood up and cuddled his son closely. “Ichi, were you watchin’?”

Stepping around to stand in front of his mate, Ichigo was grinning just as widely as Grimmjow. He reached up, stroking Riku’s hair as the toddler babbled happily. “You did it, Riku. You’re walking now.” There were tears welling in the ginger’s eyes, and Ichigo quickly scrubbed them away with his sleeve. “I don’t even know why I’m crying.” 

Behind Ichigo, Isshin stood and stretched before clapping his son on the shoulder. “It’s pride. I cried when you took your first steps, and when your sisters took their first steps. Sometimes you just have no other way to express how proud you are of your kid.” 

Huffing out a laugh, Grimmjow pressed his face against Riku as he snuggled his cub. His own eyes felt suspiciously damp, but he wasn’t about to say anything. “Hear that, cub? We’re so damn proud of you.” 

“Language.” Masaki chided the arrancar by habit, though he could hear the grin in her voice. “He’s the first one to walk, as far as I know. Though I haven’t seen Lily-chan or Halibel’s son since the end of the treaty talks. They might be walking by now.” 

Walking to the table, Grimmjow put Riku in the highchair that was waiting for him. “Ichigo and I’ll find out this weekend. Gonna go spar in Hueco Mundo.” Buckling the little boy into place, he tried to surreptitiously wipe his own eyes to dry them. Glancing at the table, he noted it was only set for four and not for eight. “The brats and their boys not coming tonight?”

Isshin shook his head as he moved to start helping Masaki bring the bowls of stew to the table. “Nope, they’re having dinner in Soul Society tonight. I think Toshiro was going to be taking Karin to meet his grandmother.”

Taking his seat on one side of the highchair, Ichigo snorted in amusement. “Has Kenpachi said anything in meetings about his division officially adopting Yuzu yet? They all adore her just as much as they do Yachiru.” 

“He’s tried, but I’ve told him he’s not allowed. He’s already got you as his fourth seat, he isn’t getting Yuzu, too.” Isshin sniffed imperiously as he and Masaki took their seats at the table, and it was all Grimmjow could do not to bust out laughing. 

“Yer just in denial. Unless Pretty Boy changes divisions, she’s gonna be as much one of them as Ichi is.” To distract himself from his own amusement, Grimmjow focused on feeding Riku some of the stew. His bowl had been served first so it could cool down some, but the arrancar still blew on the spoon before letting the toddler eat from it. “Yeah, you like your Abuela’s cooking, huh. Gotta make sure you eat up, gonna need the energy to practice walking.” He could feel Ichigo’s eyes on him as he talked to Riku, but Grimmjow forced himself to not look. If he did, he’d get lost in the warm caramel he knew they’d be at the moment. 

“Abuela...does that mean Grandma?” Masaki pronounced the word slowly, obviously unfamiliar with the word. 

“Yeah, it’s the Spanish version of the word. Starrk an’ Halibel’s brats’ll probably call you that. And it helps keep Riku bilingual.” Putting Riku’s spoon down for a moment, Grimmjow ate as much as he could before the toddler got demanding again. 

While Grimmjow took a chance to feed himself, Ichigo picked up Riku’s spoon and took over that job. “I’m not sure how much Spanish Ishida and Inoue plan to teach Sora, but I can pretty much promise that Yuuto will know a lot of it. It was Chad’s first language, and a more native tongue for Nel than Japanese. Plus there’s a good sized Argentinian population near their place that Chad socializes with, and they speak a lot of Spanish.” 

Nodding in understanding, Masaki smiled brightly. “Then I suppose I will just have to learn Spanish along with Riku. You don’t mind teaching me, too, do you, Grimm-kun?”

“Nah, I’ll help ya learn. So will Nel, I bet.” He flashed her a quick smile before taking Riku’s spoon back from Ichigo. “Eat before yours gets cold, Ichi.” 

By the time dinner was done, Riku was restless and squirming in his high chair. Since he knew Ichigo had homework to do, he took the toddler to his room and let him work on walking around the room to his different toys. Even in just two weeks, the amount of toys and stuffed animals that filled Riku’s room boggled Grimmjow’s mind. Still, he was more than happy to play with his son until it was time for the little boy to go to bed. Once he was tucked in and sound asleep, Grimmjow headed to the room he shared with Ichigo.

As predicted, Ichigo was busily writing out math problems and glaring at his textbook. “Is Riku sleeping?” 

Passing behind the ginger, Grimmjow let his hand drift across Ichigo’s shoulders. “Yep. Wore himself out walkin’ all over his room and picking up his toys.” Grabbing the book he’d been reading, he flopped back on the bed and got comfy. Opening his book up, he heard his mate chuckle before the sound of pencil on paper resumed. The sound of Ichigo working was a relaxing background noise as he delved into his book, getting absorbed in the story. 

Losing track of time, Grimmjow didn’t even notice when Ichigo finished with his homework and packed his bookbag. The first clue he had that the ginger was done was the dipping of the bed that preceded the warm weight of Ichigo straddling his hips. Though he could feel those gorgeous eyes on him, Grimmjow carefully kept his book over his face to hide his own smirk. “Grimm, put your book down.”

Smirking as he turned the page with his thumb, Grimmjow did his best to keep his voice even. “Let me finish my chapter.”

“You’ve read  _ Dracula _ how many times, now?” The exasperation in his voice had Grimmjow biting his lip to keep from laughing.

“Says the guy who’s copies of  _ Romeo and Juliet  _ and  _ A Midsummer Night’s Dream _ are held together by rubber bands.” 

Glancing over the top of the book, Grimmjow snorted at the way Ichigo stuck his tongue out at him. “You know Stoker’s written other books, right?” 

“I know. But this is my favorite of his.” Coming to the end of his chapter, Grimmjow put his bookmark back in and stretched to lay his book on the nightstand. With the book out of his hands, he moved to rest them on his mate’s hips. “I take it you’re done with your homework?”

“Mmhmm. And I have something to talk to you about, too.” Warm hands settled on top of Grimmjow’s stomach, almost searing him through his thin nightshirt. “How much have you heard of or researched about Christmas?”

Arching an eyebrow, Grimmjow let his hands slip up under Ichigo’s shirt. “Not a lot. I’ve seen decorations starting to go up in town, and it’s kind of a big deal for kids, I think? Boss has been talking about what to get his kids, but I haven’t done any lookin’ about it.” 

A pleased sigh and a bright smile were Grimmjow’s reward for knowing so much. “In Japan, it’s not usually a big deal except for kids and couples. We do follow some Mexican traditions for Chad’s sake, I’ll have to make sure we’re still doing that this year. But Christmas Eve is a pretty big deal for couples. It’s the big romantic holiday in Japan.” A light blush dusted Ichigo’s cheeks as his smile turned a little bashful. “I made a reservation for a nice restaurant for the two of us, it’s a steak place, so I’m sure you’ll like it. But there is a dress code for the place.”

“Yeah? What kind of dress code?” While he didn’t understand why Ichigo was looking suddenly so shy, Grimmjow did find it cute. He slid his hands higher up the ginger’s sides, soaking up the warmth Ichigo always exuded. 

“Suit and tie.” Ichigo shifted his weight above Grimmjow, his voice going a little husky from the hands on him. “I’ve already paid Ishida to make suits for both of us, he’s going to come take your measurements tomorrow while I’m at therapy.” 

Sitting up, Grimmjow wrapped his arms around Ichigo to keep his mate from falling. “Yeah? Then I guess I’ll be good for him and let him do what he needs.” It seemed like this was going to be an important thing to Ichigo, and Grimmjow was more than willing to play along. Leaning close, he gave the ginger a slow kiss before wrinkling his nose. “You have fish breath.”

An offended look crossed Ichigo’s face for a moment before he started laughing. “So do you. Let me up and we can go brush our teeth and get rid of that.” The ginger made a good point, but Grimmjow wasn’t in the mood to let go of his mate. Instead, he turned and put his feet on the floor. 

“Or I could just carry you.” Smirking, Grimmjow rose to his feet. He moved his hands under Ichigo’s ass to support the ginger’s weight. Thankfully his mate caught on and strong legs wrapped around his waist. 

“I know I’m not light, Grimm. I can walk on my own.” Ichigo rolled his eyes, but still held on tightly so he wouldn’t fall. 

Entering the bathroom, Grimmjow sat Ichigo on the counter with a smirk. “You aren’t as heavy as you think.” Really, he just liked having excuses to touch his mate. Big gestures weren’t something he really knew how to do, but he could do small things. Like getting Ichigo’s toothbrush ready and handing it to him. Standing silently as he scrubbed at his own, he made a mental note to do more research on this Christmas holiday. 

The next afternoon, Grimmjow was sitting on the floor playing with Riku and Sora when the front door opened. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Ishida stepping in with Inoue right behind him. Sora scrambled in their direction on his knees, and Grimmjow made himself get back up off the floor. “So you need to measure me, huh?”

Ishida set his bag down on the floor, pulling out a thin strip and a small notepad with a pen hooked onto it. “Yes. Kurosaki is apparently making a fairly nice wage just to help spirits pass on, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know neither of you own any particularly nice clothes.” 

The strip was pulled taut as Ishida measured the length of each of his arms, and Grimmjow didn’t put up a fight as the Quincy moved around him and jotted notes on the small pad of paper. “What color are ya dressing me in?”

“Just a basic suit. The slacks and jacket will be black, the shirt will be white, and the tie will be black.” Ishida moved behind him, looping the strip around Grimmjow’s waist.

Holding still, Grimmjow contemplated that mental image. In a way, the colors reminded him of a shinigami uniform. “Gonna dress Ichi in the same colors? Or are you willing to take a request?”

Moving back in front of the arrancar, Ishida raised one brow as he measured Grimmjow’s chest. “Depends on what colors you want for him. Take a deep breath and hold it for a moment.”

Once Ishida indicated that he could exhale, Grimmjow smirked faintly. “Reverse the colors from mine.”

The Quincy paused, dark blue eyes peering over his glasses for a moment. Kneeling on the floor, he nudged Grimmjow’s feet apart some and took the measure of the man’s inseam. “So you want Kurosaki in white slacks with a white jacket, a black shirt, and a white tie?”

The measurement was more than just a little awkward, and Grimmjow had to fight to stay still when one of Ishida’s hands ended up practically in his crotch. “Yeah. I think it’ll look good with his hair.” 

Inoue took that moment to throw in her two cents. “I agree with Grimmjow-san. Kurosaki-kun would look good in a white suit.” 

Rising to his feet again, Ishida tucked the notepad into his shirt pocket. “Alright, that sounds fine. And no extra charge for it, either.”

“Thanks.” Shoving his hands in his pockets, he looked a little awkward. “Anything you think I should know about Christmas? Been findin’ some stuff online, but there’s so many different things about the day to read up on.” 

“Well,” Inoue sounded contemplative as she adjusted Sora on her hip, “I have celebrated Christmas with the Kurosaki family before. Sado-kun and I usually will just get small gifts for everyone and come over to eat and spend time with Kurosaki-kun and his sisters. But there’s a lot more people that will be part of it this year. Presents are usually for children, and for couples to get each other things. You should talk to Kurosaki-kun to find out more about gift giving. As for the actual celebration, there’s a lot of food. Fried chicken is pretty traditional, and Sado-kun makes some traditional Mexican dishes that he brings. Things will be different this year, what with the little ones to consider, so we should all maybe get together and talk about what to do?”

It all sounded complicated and vague, and Grimmjow felt more confused than before he’d asked. “Well, Ichi and I are goin’ to Hueco Mundo to spar this weekend, so maybe next weekend?”

Inoue smiled brightly as Ishida gathered his things. “Sounds like a plan. Have a good night, Grimmjow-kun.”

“You, too.” Grimmjow gave the girl a halfhearted wave as she and Ishida left, turning his attention back to Riku. “We’re gonna have to chat with your Dad tonight, Cub. Gotta figure out how to celebrate this holiday for you.”


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the length, I really struggled with this chapter. Also, while I do have an end in mind for this fic, that will not be the end of the universe. I plan to do some one shots and a sequel, though the sequel will be my 2020 NaNo project, so it's a lot farther off. But I still have a good bit to go on this part before I'm ready to call it done.

“Alright, I got a question for you, Ichi.” Grimmjow laid on his stomach, tucking his pillow under his chin. “Explain how Christmas gets celebrated here, would you?” 

Setting his pen down, Ichigo turned his desk chair to face the bed. “Ah, yeah, Inoue mentioned getting everyone together next weekend to talk about it. But I can tell you how we’ve done it in the past.” 

“She said somethin’ about some Mexican stuff you do for the tall guy.” The position he was in was a little too comfortable, so Grimmjow sat up to make sure he wouldn’t nod off during the explanation. 

“Yep, we do some stuff that way for Chad. Part of it he does on his own, because in Mexico the celebrations start on the 16th of December instead of being just on the 25th. He doesn’t do the church masses because there aren’t any Christian churches that do midnight services in the area. But there’s a tradition with pinatas that we do with him.” Picking up his phone, Ichigo pulled up some pictures of pinatas to show his mate. “They’re filled with candy and sometimes small toys that are cheap. In Mexico, they have pinatas for nine nights. We only do eight, because we don’t do the final one on Christmas itself. Aside from that, we keep to mainly Japanese traditions, such as they are. We put up a tree, decorate it with lights and ornaments. We get fried chicken and cake, Chad brings some traditional Mexican dishes. There’s this one drink he makes, it’s thick like a milkshake, but it’s hot. It’s got chocolate and cinnamon and some other seasonings in it, it’s really good. He won’t let me or Yuzu help him make it, but he brings all the ingredients for it with him.” 

Chuckling at the excited look on Ichigo’s face, Grimmjow smiled. “What kind of food does he bring?”

Ichigo frowned in concentration. “There’s a soup he brings, I think he said it’s called Pozole? It’s got white meat in it, I think he usually uses chicken. It’s kind of spicy, but it’s really good. And then there are tamales. So we end up having a ton of food on Christmas and we just kind of gorge ourselves.”

“Sounds like fun. What else does this holiday involve?” Since Ichigo was clearly not working on his homework anymore, Grimmjow leaned forward and pulled the ginger and his desk chair closer to the bed. 

“You could have told me to sit closer, you know.” Laughing, Ichigo shoved Grimmjow lightly before continuing on. “Presents are usually things that kids get, or that couples get for each other. Riku is probably going to get a lot of gifts to open, but hopefully they’ll be practical things since he’s still too young to remember this. It’s pretty typically one present from each person giving the gifts. Mom and Dad may get us each something as well, so you should start thinking about things you might want to get as a gift. And since there’s going to be so many of us celebrating together this year, we might want to do a Secret Santa type thing.” Seeing the confusion on Grimmjow’s face, he grinned. “A Secret Santa is when you have a group of people who put their names in a box or hat or something, and do a blind draw of someone else’s name. The only way you get to change the name you draw is if you draw your own, and there’s an agreed on price maximum. That way there’s no massive unfairness if someone who can’t afford much is in the same group as someone rich.”

Grimmjow nodded in understanding. “Sounds like it could be fun. We might even get Halibel and Starrk to join in on it. Maybe I’ll get some stuff together for them to get familiar with it before next weekend.” Grinning, he leaned into Ichigo’s personal space and kissed his mate. “Thanks for makin’ it make sense for me.”

Ichigo smiled into the kiss, slowly pushing his chair back to where it belonged afterward. “You’re welcome. Holidays can be weird if you’re not used to them.” 

“Any others comin’ up I need to know about?” Leaning back on his hands, Grimmjow started thinking of things he could get for his mate that Ichigo would like. There were a lot of options, he just needed to narrow them down. 

Shrugging as he turned to head for the bathroom to finish his nightly routine, Ichigo looked over his shoulder at the arrancar. It wasn’t as though Grimmjow was hiding the fact that he was staring at his mate and admiring his looks. “Just New Years, but that’s kind of a learning by doing thing. And I don’t even know if we’re doing that in the living world or soul society.”

Wednesday came and went, as did most of Thursday. When Inoue came to pick up Sora, Grimmjow couldn’t help being suspicious. She seemed especially bashful, and wasn’t sitting to chat with Masaki like she typically did on Thursdays for the last couple weeks. Moving Riku off of his lap to stand up, he looked down at the young woman skeptically. “Alright, ‘fess up.”

Inoue nearly jumped as she looked at Grimmjow for a moment before averting her eyes. “A-ano, I need to retake some of the measurements that Uryuu-kun took from you on Tuesday.”

Grimmjow scoffed and relaxed his stance. Here he’d almost thought Ichigo had gone and done something stupid like picking a fight with someone powerful without inviting him to join. “That’s it? What, he can’t read his own handwriting?”

The relief Inoue clearly felt was visible in the way her whole posture relaxed. Grimmjow watched as she pulled what had to be a tape measure out of her bag and opened a note on her phone. “He was playing with Sora last night, and accidentally spilled a half full cup of tea on his notepad. The tea stains made your leg measurements unreadable.” 

While a snarky comment was just on the tip of his tongue, Grimmjow resisted. Thankfully the only thing he’d ever spilled while playing with his own cub was water, but he wasn’t really in a place to judge. “Alright, let’s get it over with so you can get your cub home.”

“Okay!” Inoue’s bright smile was back as she knelt on the floor. If possible, it was actually more awkward to have her measuring his inseam, but at least she was quick about it. In what seemed like the blink of his eyes, she was shoving the tape measure back in her bag and picking Sora up off the floor. “All done! Thank you for being so understanding, Grimmjow-san. Uryuu-kun will get the suits done as soon as he can.” 

“Sounds good. I’m gonna talk to Halibel and Starrk about the whole Christmas thing this weekend.” Shoving his hands in his pockets, Grimmjow nodded. 

By the time the weekend rolled around, Grimmjow had done a little research of his own on the impending holiday. He’d summed it up as much as he could to make it simple to understand. Holding a packet of papers, he had it rolled up and was trying not to seem totally awkward. Stepping through into Las Noches, he couldn’t help shivering a little at the change in temperature. Even though winter was coming up fast in the living world and soul society, the house was quite warm. But the desert never was. The door had opened into an empty stretch of hallway, near the door to his former quarters, so he turned and headed for the throne room. It was the best place to find the other arrancar, plus he could sense reiatsu in that direction. 

Upon entering the throne room, several things struck Grimmjow as being out of place. Apache and Sun Sun were chasing the two toddlers who lived there, both children laughing and shrieking in glee as they enjoyed themselves. There was a stack of boxes inside the door with shipping addresses that looked to be from Mexico, of all places. And the icing on the whole bizarre cake was the sight of one psychotic shop keeper bent over a table to the side of the room with Szael at his side. “What. The. Hell.”

From her seat on the throne, Halibel looked at Grimmjow with what might almost pass for fondness in her eyes. “The shinigami is helping Szael comb through the rest of the documentation on the children to see if there is anything in there that will help in tending to them. There is still a great deal we do not know about their biology, and he has also been providing us with food for them.”

From the corner of his eye, Grimmjow watched Ichigo pinch the bridge of his nose. “I hope he’s not charging you too much in exchange. If he becomes troublesome for you, I’m sure my mom will be more than happy to help find ways to keep food here for the little ones.” A small missile impacted his leg just then, and Grimmjow looked down to see a bright smile pointed up at him from a very blond little boy. He heard Ichigo laugh softly at that, and found himself grinning back down at the child. “I see Lily-chan and your son are walking and running, I’m glad. My dad wanted me to let you know he’d like to give them a checkup to see how they’re doing, and if you’re more comfortable doing that here, I can let him know to make it a house call.” 

Rising from her seat, Halibel carried herself in a more relaxed way than Grimmjow could ever recall having seen previously. She crossed to him and swept her son up to prop him against her hip as if she’d been doing so his whole life. “Exposure to the living world would likely be beneficial to Mateo and Lily, Starrk and I can bring them to him. We just need to know when.” 

“So you finally picked a name for him, huh?” Flashing a smirk, Grimmjow reached out and tousled Mateo’s hair a little. “That’s a good name, gives him something to grow into.” Remembering the rolled up papers in his hand, he thrust them in Halibel’s direction. “Here.” 

A single golden eyebrow arched behind long bangs as Halibel stared at the roll of paper. “What is that?”

“There’s a human holiday comin’ up, kinda a heavy focus on kids. It’s some basics for you an’ Starrk about it.” Grimmjow scratched the back of his neck a little awkwardly. “Gonna have a big get together next weekend and plan stuff out, since there’s a lot of us celebratin’ together. I don’t really understand much about it myself, but it sounds interesting.” 

From the corner of the room, Urahara piped up in his overly cheerful voice. “Ah yes, I was telling you earlier about pinatas, Halibel-sama. The brightly colored things that you hang up and let children hit with sticks until toys and sweets fall out. And I do so appreciate you allowing me to store the ones for this year here in your palace. I had to order them early since I was asked to get them from Mexico authentically.”

“So that’s what’s in the boxes? You didn’t overcharge Chad for them, did you, Hat and Clogs?” The resignation in Ichigo’s voice almost made Grimmjow laugh. It was easy to forget sometimes that his mate had been dealing with the blond scientist for years already and was well used to his habits. 

That damnable fan came out as Urahara hid his grin behind it. “Of course not! But with Isshin’s new source of income and access to Soul Society, I feel I charged him a completely fair price.” 

“Well, if you’re only ripping off Dad, then that’s fine.” Ichigo shrugged, and Grimmjow snorted out a laugh. 

Looking thoroughly bemused, Halibel shifted her hold on her son and handed the papers to Apache. She was likely planning on reading them later. “When and where is this gathering to discuss the holiday being held? I will need time to help Lily rouse her father.”

“About seven days at the Kurosaki household. Which is likely where the festivities will be held on the actual holiday. Dunno the exact time yet, but I’ll let you know when I do.” Grimmjow shoved his hands in his pockets, turning to see where the little girl had gone. Seeing her climbing into the throne, he laughed. “Better watch out, you got someone else tryin’ to be queen in your place. Ichi an’ I are heading for the desert to spar, maybe do some huntin’. Be kicking up a lot of power, though. Figured you oughta know.” 

Halibel whipped her head around so fast her hair nearly came around to hit her in the face as she turned to see Lily curling up in the seat of the throne to take a nap. The tension bled back out of her frame like it had never even been there. “That’s fine, thank you for informing me. And I will look forward to hearing more details about this gathering. Perhaps it will be wise to have Mateo and Lily around the other children again. And all I ask is that you go out far enough that what exists of Las Noches is in no danger from the amount of reiatsu you two throw around. 

“That’s fair.” With one final nod, Grimmjow turned and headed for the exit. Using sonido inside got to be a pain with walls and doors, plus the way the sand kicked up when he took off was always satisfying. He could hear and sense Ichigo at his heels, so he knew his mate wasn’t getting lost. Once his feet were fully in the coarse white of the desert, he took off, trusting the ginger to keep up. 


	35. Chapter 35

The following weekend, Grimmjow glared at Nel. She was sitting on the loveseat with him, in the seat that was usually Ichigo’s. But since the ginger was up and down and not sitting still, it made sense. It didn’t mean he had to be happy about it. “Still don’t get why you’re sitting here.” 

Playing with the end of her braid and tickling Yuuto’s ear to make him laugh, Nel just grinned. “You know I sit here all the time when you’re at the ramen shop, right?”

Grimmjow’s glare intensified. “Why are you sitting here now, then?” 

“Because I want to. It’s comfy, and Yuuto and Riku are having fun with each other.” It was true, the two toddlers were happily babbling at each other in between Yuuto’s laughs. 

“Oh, don’t fuss so much, Grimm-kun.” Across the room in the armchair, Masaki just chuckled. Turning to her right, she gave an apologetic smile. “Sorry you’re having to see all this, Byakuya-kun. I promise they normally behave better.”

Sitting in a chair from the dining room, Byakuya just shook his head with a faint smile. “It’s quite alright, Ba-sama. They’re still better behaved than the students currently in the academy preparing to graduate.”

“To be honest, they behaved this way in Hueco Mundo.” Grimmjow shot Halibel a dark look, silently accusing her of being a traitor.

Coming into the room from the front door with Tatsuki, Ishida, Inoue, and Sora behind him, Ichigo arched an eyebrow at Grimmjow. “Why are you glaring at Halibel-san?” He moved to sit in the dining room chair between the turquoise haired man and the hollow queen, giving Riku a grin in the process. 

“Eh, it don’t matter. Is everyone here now?” Chad was in a chair on the other end of the loveseat next to the couch, with Yuzu in Yumichika’s lap on his other side. Hitsugaya was in the center of the couch, with Karin on his left. One of the dining room chairs was on the far end of the couch, and Starrk was lounging it as much as he could. Isshin and Masaki were cuddled up in their armchair, and the three newcomers took the rest of the chairs between Halibel and Byakuya. He thought that the Quincy was going to turn into a statue with how tense the man looked by being next to Halibel. 

“Yep, we’re all here. I’m sorry we were late, Sora spilled some applesauce on his clothes and needed a fresh set before we could get out the door.” Inoue apologized as she tried to get the dark haired little boy to settle down in her lap. 

Shifting in his seat, Byakuya turned toward Ichigo. “What is this all about, anyhow? Tatsuki-san mentioned a holiday called Christmas?”

“Yep. It’s a holiday that isn’t as big in Japan as other countries, but there is a pretty large family component to it. Not as much as New Years, but it’s up there. And since you’re family, you get to be involved. We do some Mexican traditions, and since the holiday is a lot about kids, Halibel-san and Starrk-san are included to celebrate with Lily and Mateo.” Grimmjow had to bite his tongue at how Ichigo was practically bouncing in his seat. His mate was so excited to celebrate this day, and it was honestly pretty cute. 

Leaning forward in his seat, Chad leaned on the armrest of the loveseat. “We’re going to need a good assembly line for the tamales this year. Now that I’ve finally got Abuelo’s recipe down, I want to make sure there’s enough for everyone.”

Yuzu piped up cheerfully from his side. “Onii-chan, Kaa-san, and I will be happy to help. Are you going to make that drink again?”

“The Champurrado? Oh yeah. That’s just a staple.” The tall teen grinned broadly. “And no, I’m not sharing my recipe with you this year, either.” 

“We’ll get it from you someday, Chad.” There was a playful glare on Ichigo’s face, but he turned back to the rest of the room pretty quickly. “So food is part of the Mexican traditions, but we also do the standard Japanese dishes, too. So lots of fried chicken and Christmas cake.” 

“I’ll get the cakes. I think four will be good? If we have extra, we can always split the leftovers and take them home.” Taking Sora from Inoue since the little boy was reaching for him, Ishida balanced his son on his knee and bounced his heel a little. “I assume the traditional version will be fine?”

Isshin nodded sagely. “That would be best. I tried one with chocolate sponge cake one year, and I didn’t get a single slice. Ichigo only shared with his sisters.” 

“That ain’t a shock.” Grimmjow couldn’t help snickering at the way Ichigo was struggling to look innocent. “The Christmas cakes have strawberries on ‘em, right? We’ll have to keep ‘em up outta Riku’s reach so he doesn’t swipe all the fruit.” 

Tatsuki cackled, leaning back in her chair in the process. “Oh my god, that’s great! How confused does he get between the fruit and your name, Ichigo?”

“Some, but I don’t think it’s that hard on him to be honest. We’re working more on teaching him to call me Dad, after all.” Ichigo was trying to look put upon, but Grimmjow could tell it wasn’t working. 

“All that aside,” Inoue interjected, barely hiding her laughter, “I think what we really need to plan the most is if we’re going to do a Secret Santa. We need to decide on it and set a fair price limit that is feasible for everyone.” 

“I think Grimmjow mentioned that in the papers he put together for us last week. We all write down our names and something we want, then draw them out of a hat or something, right?” Starrk had leaned forward in his seat, partially to let Lily down to play, but he did look curious about the concept. “Tia and I don’t have much of a concept of how money works, so we’ll need help with ours. But it sounds interesting.”

Byakuya leaned closer to Tatsuki, pitching his voice lower like he only wanted to talk to her. “I’ve done similar things in the past, but why the price limit?”

“Because those of us in the living world have much more limited budgets than you. Well, except Ishida. But with a price limit you get less disparity in the quality of the gifts.” Grimmjow watched as Tatsuki leaned in closer to Byakuya, ignoring everyone else in the room. It made him wonder how often he looked at Ichigo like that. 

On the edge of his seat once again, Ichigo was smiling brightly. “Alright, how about this. If you want to do the Secret Santa, raise your hand.” His was the first in the air, followed almost simultaneously by Chad and Inoue. Grimmjow and Nel both raised their own hands, starting the chain reaction that had everyone but the toddlers holding a hand in the air. “Alright, it’s unanimous. I’ll go get some paper and pens, and a box to draw names out of.”

“This better not mean that couples can’t get each other gifts outside the drawing, Ichi-nii!” Karin hollered after her brother, who had ducked into Isshin’s small office. Based on the red in her cheeks, he had a feeling she was already planning something for her mate.

Coming back into the room with a handful of pens and a stack of small note papers, Ichigo ruffled her hair as he walked behind the couch. “Of course it doesn’t mean that. Considering I already know what I’m getting Grimm, I'd be a hypocrite if I said otherwise. Now, pass these out while I go get the empty cookie jar to use for drawing names.” He dropped the pens and the papers on Karin’s lap, smirking at the squawk she let out. 

“What if we draw our own name out of the jar?” 

Chad piped up in Ichigo’s place, looking at Nel with a fond smile. “That’s the only way you get to put a paper back in. And you don’t say who’s name you’ve drawn until Christmas day when we exchange gifts and open them.” 

Taking his paper and pen from Karin, Grimmjow thought hard about what to write down as a request. There wasn’t much he wanted or needed, but he ended up deciding that some new bandanas to cover his hair at work would be nice. “Should we fold the papers?”

At his side, Ichigo had returned to his seat and put the cookie jar on the coffee table. He had his paper in his left hand with his pen in his right. “Yeah, but just once. Otherwise they’ll be hard to grab.” He promptly demonstrated with his own paper by folding it to hide the writing and dropping it into the jar. 

The jar made its way along the length of the coffee table until all the papers were inside. Since it had a hinged lid, Isshin took it upon himself to close the jar and shake it up. “And now that it’s all mixed up, Masaki, you get to have the first draw.” 

With a soft laugh, Masaki reached into the jar without looking. “I’ve got mine. Why don’t you carry it around to make it easier?”

As Isshin did exactly that, Grimmjow watched and waited for his turn. He was curious who he would get and who would draw his. Inoue was the first to have to put hers back, though she was successful the second time around. Once everyone had their paper and Isshin had taken his seat again, Grimmjow spoke up. “Did we decide a price limit?”

“Three thousand yen?” Yuzu shrugged as she made the suggestion, looking as innocent as could be. He knew it was a lie, she was a Kurosaki with her own wicked ways, but he wouldn’t call her on it. 

General murmurs passed around the room until everyone agreed that sounded like a fair price. Stuffing his drawn name into his pocket, Grimmjow looked at Halibel. “If Urahara can’t help you and Starrk out, let me know.”

“He stated he would be making rings for us so that we can eat with Mateo and Lily, so I will ask when he is next in Las Noches.” Halibel slipped her paper up her sleeve, Grimmjow was far too smart to bother asking where she planned to keep it. 

“Hmm, Halibel-chan, I think you’re going to want a different top once you’re wearing your ring from Urahara-san.” Nel’s voice was more polite and tentative than Grimmjow was used to hearing. It took him a few moments to realize why the lime haired woman was giving such advice. 

Halibel looked down at her cropped jacket before making a noise of agreement. “Yes, I wouldn’t want to be seen as indecent. Did you leave any of your old uniform jackets behind in Las Noches?”

“Oh yes! You are more than welcome to wear one of them.” Nel nodded so hard Grimmjow swore the whole loveseat was shaking. “It’ll be warmer for you, too. Even though we still have our hierro when we look human, we can feel the temperature changes more.”

“Tch, speak for yourself, woman.” Grimmjow was not about to admit to getting cold more easily now. There was no way he would give Nel the satisfaction.

Unfortunately for Grimmjow, Masaki was more than willing to poke a hole in his bravado. “Mmhmm. Says the one who takes showers so hot your skin turns red every day when you get back from the ramen shop only to wrap up in a throw blanket the second you get back down here. If I felt it was safe to have a kotatsu with the babies around, we’d have to pick it up to get you out from under it.” 

A blush stained Grimmjow’s cheeks just a little as he turned to Ichigo. To his dismay, the ginger was trying not to laugh. “The hell is a kotatsu?”

“It’s a table with a quilt attached to the sides that you can pull over you lap when you sit at it. And on the underside of the table there is a heater that makes the space nice and warm. I do agree with Mom that it’s probably not all that safe with Riku, Yuuto, and Sora yet because they won’t know not to touch the heater. Plus if they hide under it, they could get dangerously overheated and be in real peril.”

A table with a heater underneath? That sounded absolutely heavenly to Grimmjow. But he could also see how it could be dangerous for his cub, which was much more important. “We can get one when they’re bigger, then.” 

“You mean get a bigger one that can fit more people than the one that’s in storage.” Karin snorted softly, snuggling a little closer to Hitsugaya in the process. 

Looking at her phone, Inoue’s eyes widened at the time. “We need to be going. Ryuken-san will have dinner ready soon.” Rising from her seat, Inoue picked Sora up and rested him on her hip. “I’m glad we all got together and got these plans made.”

“Nel and I need to stop at the store on the way home, too.” Standing as well, Chad stretched and hiked Yuuto up onto his shoulders. “See you at school on Monday, Ichigo.”

“Yeah, see you then.” Standing up, Ichigo showed everyone to the door like a proper host. It had really been a productive day. 


	36. Chapter 36

Waking up early, Byakuya dressed in one of his warmest kimonos. He had learned so much interesting information the day before, and felt it was high time to do something that should have happened months ago. Settling himself in front of Hisana’s shrine, he bowed to the picture of his late wife. “Hisana, I hope you agree with me that it is time for this now.” His hands shook slightly as he began to take the shrine down piece by piece. 

Behind Byakuya, Rukia entered the room. He didn’t turn to face her, but he did hear her gasp of shock. “Nii-sama, what are you doing?! Why are you taking down Hisana nee-sama’s shrine?!”

Reaching for her photograph, Byakuya smiled fondly at his late wife as he delicately placed the picture in a box. “It is no longer needed.”

“But I thought...didn’t you swear to never love anyone but her? Just because you have Tatsuki-san’s initials on your wrist, you think it’s fine to betray Nee-sama?” Rukia’s voice was full of puzzled disbelief, and Byakuya heard her shuffle over to fall to her knees at his side. 

Byakuya looked at the letters T.A. on his wrist, memorizing every intricacy in the lettering. “Rukia, listen closely to me. You do know that when a soul dies, we have the chance to be reborn as mortals, yes?”

“Yes, I do know that.” Even Rukia’s reiatsu was tense, and she sat like a statue at his side.

“When these two letters appeared on my wrist, the first thing I did was to contact the elders. There are special kidos that are not taught to shinigami that can track a soul to its rebirth.” Byakuya kept taking apart the shrine, not looking at his sister as he did so. “They cast that kido on the letters, and it matched Hisana’s reiatsu. More than most souls, in fact. At first, I even expected her to look the same, it was a shock when I saw Tatsuki for the first time, but I could recognize her soul.” 

A small hand rested on his own as Byakuya was putting away the incense pot, stopping him from putting it in its box. “You mean, Arisawa Tatsuki, a human girl who is barely a fullbringer, is Hisana nee-sama?” 

Byakuya covered Rukia’s hand with his own as he turned and gave her a soft smile. “She does look very different now. But yes. They have the same soul.” 

Rukia frowned softly, looking confused. “Why did you get initials at all? I don’t understand that part at all.” 

“Shall we discuss it over breakfast?” Rising to his feet, Byakuya shocked Rukia by offering her a hand up. Even more now, he tried to be a better brother, knowing it would make his beloved pleased.

Following along silently, Rukia took her seat at the table as the servants laid out breakfast for them. Once the last servant had retreated from sight, she said her thanks but did not reach for her chopsticks. “Please, Nii-sama. I do not understand why you have letters on your wrist. I have heard that Hitsugaya-taichou and fifth seat Ayasegawa-san have them, but it’s a complete mystery.” 

“There is one other shinigami with letters on his wrist. One of, if not the first in history that I have found to have them. Shiba-taichou, my uncle and Kurosaki Ichigo’s father, has them. Letters are something that humans have to help them find their soulmates. Soulmates are a very serious thing, even here in Soul Society. To know the one soul who matches yours precisely is a rarity. For humans, it happens between the age of fourteen to seventeen. It comes along with a very intense sensation, like an itch that cannot ever be satiated. Both parties experience the itch, as a matter of fact. I know you’ve noticed me scratching at my arms more than usual in the last several months, and that’s due to not being able to touch Tatsuki regularly. It is skin contact that makes the sensation stop, encouraging soulmates to be close to each other.”

“I see.” Rukia’s voice was soft and contemplative as she ate slowly. “That’s also why you’ve been going to the world of the living so much, I take it?” 

Byakuya smiled into his tea. “Yes, indeed. With Kyouraku-soutaichou’s blessing I have even informed her and her family of how Soul Society works and my position in it. There is much I still have to learn about mortal ways, but they have been very kind in teaching me modern ways.” 

Rukia smiled warmly at that, looking pleased that he was learning about things that she enjoyed. After a moment, she paled. “So then...when I saw Ichigo a few weeks ago and he said that the arrancar is his soulmate…” 

“You caused him a great deal of pain, Rukia.” Having grown somewhat close to his cousin of late, Byakuya saw no reason to sugar coat things. “Soulmates are decided by fate. While he may not have chosen Grimmjow if given freewill, they suit each other well. And Grimmjow has done what no others could, and what you and Abarai refused to do. I am well aware of how Soul Society as a whole failed Ichigo after the war, and there is only so much we can do in order to make things right. But you and Abarai, why did you neglect him so deeply? You were the one who wanted to follow him to Hueco Mundo, the one who argued for him to be treated as an ally and not just an intruder to Yamamoto-soutaicho after Aizen revealed himself as a traitor, and yet you ignored him in his time of need. Had I known he was trying to reach you and Abarai and that he was in such need, I would have reached out to him myself.” 

Rukia’s jaw opened and closed several times before sound came out. “We...we thought it was better. That he could be a normal teen again.” 

“Clearly you never read them, then. After all he did for us, Ichigo was a broken man. His father, sisters, mortal friends, and soulmate have helped to heal him, but the scars will remain in his soul until it is his time to return to the cycle and be born anew.” Giving his sister a hard look, Byakuya set his chopsticks down and looked at her directly. “You owe him a significant apology. And do not expect forgiveness immediately. He owes you nothing at this point, and has a family of his own to consider.”

Rukia’s face fell and she looked down at her lap. “You mean one of the experiments?”

Byakuya’s reiatsu flared in anger before he could contain it. “You will not refer to those children as experiments. Sora, at the very least, will grow up calling me his uncle due to how close Tatsuki and Inoue-san are. My nephew is an innocent, as are the others. No child asks to be born, and should not bear the sins of their parents.” Not that Aizen was the parent of any of the children, but that was beside the point. 

Flinching at her brother’s ire, Rukia bowed in apology. “I am sorry, Nii-sama. I just have a hard time imagining arrancar as decent parents.”

“You might be surprised.” There was a faint smile on Byakuya’s face as he finished his meal. “Grimmjow in particular is a very doting father. When I have passed through the house on the way to visit Tatsuki, he is always playing with or reading to his son. I would never have expected such patience of a man like him. It is well known how gentle Zaraki-taichou is with Kusajishi-fukutaichou, but Grimmjow is even more so with Riku.” 

Rukia looked utterly shocked. “Wh-what? A violent beast like him?”

“Indeed, it was quite shocking.” Byakuya smiled a little wider. “I have seen Ichigo have episodes of panic or flashbacks from the war. Grimmjow handles him with genuine love until he is back to himself. Had I not seen it myself, I would doubt it as well. But it is true. And more than that, he has a mortal job. Not only does Grimmjow work hard to help establish positive relations between us and Hueco Mundo, but he earns an income in the living world as well.”

“He what?” Choking on her tea, Rukia coughed hard to clear the liquid from her airway. “He works for Urahara-san, right?”

A look of brief concern passed over Byakuya’s face until he was certain his sister was alright. “No, not at all. It seems that while they were in hiding, Yadomaru-fukutaichou and Muguruma-taichou had a son. He married the daughter of a ramen shop owner and took over the store from his father in law. He was in need of a person to help with lunch hours to wash dishes and prep ingredients, and Grimmjow took the job. Since his boss knows about hollows and shinigami, he has no need to hide his nature, too.” 

There was a moment of silence before Rukia burst into a fit of giggles. “Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, the espada who broke orders just to start a fight before the war, works in a ramen shop?”

When she put it like that, Byakuya had to agree it sounded absurd. “He even went back to work willingly after gaining his son, since Masaki-basama is able to watch the child while he does so.” 

That name brought silence to Rukia. “You mean...Ichigo’s mother, Kurosaki Masaki? But, she was killed by Grand Fisher.”

“Yes, she was. But there was enough of her left with independence when Jisama killed Grand Fisher that she was able to come here to Soul Society on her own. Apparently, she found her way to the remaining Shibas and was able to be reunited with her family. She seems to be quite enjoying being a grandmother, too.” Byakuya paused for a few moments as the breakfast dishes were cleared away before speaking again. “Meeting her, and now having a mortal soulmate of my own, I can completely understand why Uncle Isshin abandoned his post to be with her. Thankfully I do not have to go to such lengths myself.”

“I still have a hard time believing that you’re so closely related to him.” Shaking her head, Rukia tried not to laugh. Byakuya wondered just how foolish his uncle had been in the time she stayed under his roof. Her expression turned more somber, and he felt temptation to move to sit by her side. “I understand now why Renji and I upset Ichigo so much. I really need to apologize to him.” 

“Tell me, Rukia, what will you do if he does not forgive you? What will you do if he wishes to have no contact with you indefinitely?” 

Rukia bit her lip and clenched her hands in her lap. “I...I’ll have to honor his wishes. I know I don’t deserve to be forgiven, but I miss hanging out with him. I miss his friendship.”

Byakuya smiled softly. “I think he misses your friendship as well. He doesn’t want to, but he does. He struggles to not ask about you when I see him.” 

The way Rukia’s eyes lit up at his words made Byakuya’s smile widen. “Use the family senkaimon to go to Urahara-san. A gigai will likely help things go over better.” 

“That’s a good point. I will go check in with Ukitake-taichou for permission to go so that I’m not missing any of my duties.” Bowing to her brother, Rukia got up and quickly made her way to the thirteenth division.

Two hours later, Rukia bit her lip as she stood in front of the door of the Kurosaki household. Her hand hovered over the doorbell in uncertainty, scared of what to do or say. Before she could muster the courage to press the button, the door opened to reveal Grimmjow with a toddler on his hip. “Jus’ get in here already. Ichi knows yer here, he’s willin’ to listen to you. So stop lurkin’ at the door like a weirdo.”

Seeing the arrancar who had once driven his hand clean through her body standing and looking so human, no mask and holding a child that was pulling on the collar of his shirt, was jarring. Stepping inside when he stepped out of the way, she left her shoes and put on some house slippers that were the correct size. Stepping out of the genkan, she saw the redhead in the kitchen. “Come on in, Rukia. Hope you don’t mind if I keep working on lunch, it’s just me, Grimm, and Riku.” He didn’t look up at all, and she could hear the sound of a knife chopping through things from in front of him. 

“Not at all, I am sorry if I’ve come at a bad time.” Shuffling closer, she sat at the table in front of Ichigo and was silent for several long moments. Taking a deep breath, she found her courage and just spat it out. “I’m sorry! I screwed up so much, Ichigo, I’m so sorry. I had no right to try and decide what was best for you, and the things I said were so awful. I don’t have any right to ask this of you, I know that, but if there is anything I can do to earn your forgiveness, I’ll do it. I’ve missed you, I really have, and I want to make things right.”

Ichigo stopped what he was doing for a moment, the knife going still. Looking up, he stared at her with a blank expression. “You have caused me a lot of pain, Rukia. I am glad you understand that. I’m not going to lie and say that this one apology is going to make me forget about you abandoning me when I needed you the most. But I can tell that you mean what you say and that you really are sorry about what you’ve done, so I’m willing to give you a chance. That means you do not speak ill of Grimmjow around me, ever. I don’t expect you two to be friends right away, I know there’s bad blood between you. But for my sake, I would appreciate it if you give him a chance. However, if you ever speak poorly about my son, or imply he is lesser in any way for being half arrancar, I will cut you down.” 

“I wouldn’t dare! Not after Nii-sama spoke to me about his feelings regarding the children.” Rukia looked down at her lap, cheeks burning in shame. “I...referred to them as experiments, and he corrected me. It was wrong of me to do so.”

Before Ichigo could say anything on the matter, a tiny stampede rushed past Rukia. She couldn’t see the little one when he rounded the corner of the kitchen counter, but she did hear some sort of impact. “Da!”

Scooping his son up into his arms, Ichigo was clearly trying to keep a straight face as he looked at the sippy cup in Riku’s hand. “Riku, just because you’re thirsty doesn’t mean that hitting me with your cup is nice. Now, do you want some water, or some juice?”

“I’ll get him some juice.” Grimmjow was right there, taking the sippy cup from the toddler before heading for the fridge. “So long as she plays nice with me, I’ll play nice with the runt. That way I don’t have you, the brats, or Kuchiki gripin’ at me.” It shocked Rukia to see amusement in his eyes when he glanced at her while filling the sippy cup. 

Passing Riku back to his mate, the smile on Ichigo’s face wasn’t one Rukia had ever seen before. It was softer, more genuine, and full of just as much love as she was used to seeing in her brother’s eyes when he would look at Hisana’s picture. Sniffing imperiously, she took a chance on some gentle teasing. “I’m appalled he isn’t wearing a Chappy shirt. Really, Ichigo, you’re just not starting him off on the right foot.”

There was a beat of silence before Ichigo let out a loud laugh. Grimmjow was doing his best to look offended, but she could tell he was happy to hear the ginger’s amusement. “Excuse you, we are panthers, not rabbits. There will be no Chappy shirts in his wardrobe.” 

Ichigo just laughed harder, making Rukia smirk at Grimmjow. “We’ll just see about that.” Things were going far, far better than she had dared to hope, and it was hard to see Grimmjow as the terrifying sixth Espada that he had been the last time they crossed paths when he had an absolutely adorable child leaning against his shoulder. Thinking back to the last time she had seen her friend, Rukia grew somber again. Rising from her seat, she bowed to Grimmjow. “I apologize for the things I said about you. I know you weren’t there to hear them, but still, I am sorry. You have changed, and we aren’t enemies anymore. So for Ichigo’s sake, I will do my best to get along with you.” 

While Rukia had been apologizing to Grimmjow, Ichigo had loaded up the pot next to him with the ingredients he’d been chopping. Putting the pot on the stove, he turned the heat on and washed his hands. “Thank you. Both of you, really. I know this isn’t easy for either of you to do, but I really appreciate it.”

Grimmjow smiled softly, putting an arm around Ichigo and pressing a light kiss to his cheek. “Don’ worry about it. ‘Sides, she’s obviously got her strong points since she was able to beat Di Roy.” Turning to Rukia, she was shocked not to see any animosity in his piercing eyes. “I don’t hold that against ya, by the way. I made it clear they better not hold back, so I know it was a fair fight.”

Rukia wasn’t really sure what to say to that, and she felt rather like a fish for a moment as her mouth opened and closed silently. Thankfully Ichigo came to her rescue as he bumped Grimmjow with his hip and slipped out of his grasp. “Now that you’ve made her feel awkward, go sit in the living room.” 

“Are you putting me in time out?” The incredulity in Grimmjow’s voice almost drew a manic giggle from the petite woman. Surely, she had to have crossed into some sort of parallel world.

Ichigo snorted and gave his partner a light shove. “No. But I am going to ask for her opinion about your Christmas present and you don’t get to know about it.”

Grimmjow rolled his eyes visibly before walking toward the semi-circle of furniture that marked the living room. “You know I’ll still hear you.”

“But you won’t be able to see my phone screen. Now shoo.” A steady hand guided Rukia back to the chair she had sat in before Ichigo sat down next to her. 

A feeling somewhere near panic flashed through Rukia for a moment as she watched Ichigo pull his phone from his pocket. “Why are you asking me about his Christmas present? I barely even know him.”

“Because I trust your taste.” That simple declaration shook her to the core while also making her feel slightly giddy. Ichigo still trusted her. Even though it was for something simple, it was still trust. As he held his phone out for her to see the screen, Rukia made sure to pay close attention to the two pictures Ichigo showed her. “I can’t decide which would look better on him. What do you think?”

Rukia eyed both pictures critically. One was a black bomber style coat with a cream colored lambskin collar, while the other was a dark grey coat with two rows of buttons. The name in the picture, that was clearly a website screenshot, called it a peacoat. Pondering for several long moments, she made up her mind. Pointing to the peacoat, she nodded firmly. “This one. The other one would be more of Renji’s style.”

Ichigo’s nose wrinkled at that comment, and she couldn’t help giggling at how fast he deleted the picture of the bomber jacket. “Thanks. Are you staying for lunch or do you need to head back?”

The question gave her pause, and Rukia contemplated for a moment. While she would have loved to stay and catch up with Ichigo, it felt almost awkward to do so. Rising to her feet, she shook her head. “I should go, let you have some private time with you and your soulmate and your incredibly adorable son. Someone has to go keep an eye on Sentaro and Kiyone, after all.” 

If he recognized the flimsy excuse for what it was, Ichigo didn’t call her on it. “Riku is pretty dang cute. You should come by again soon, though. The twins miss you, and you haven’t gotten to meet Mom yet. Byakuya can tell you how to get to the Soul Society entrance to the house, too. Tell him I said it’s okay for you to know?”

Rukia smiled brightly, nodding enthusiastically at that. She knew there was a way to get to Ichigo’s house without a senkaimon now, but hadn’t felt like she had a right to know exactly where it was at. But now, now she could visit any time she pleased. “I will! Thank you, Ichigo.”

As she stood in the genkan putting her shoes back on, Ichigo smiled down at her. “You’re welcome, Rukia. I’ll see you again soon, yeah?”

“Absolutely.” 


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait on this chapter. Between the shelter at home business, a new position at work, and my brain being a scumbag, writing has been hard. But I finally have another installment out for you!

By early December, Rukia and Ichigo were on much better terms. She showed up on a Tuesday afternoon with a new stuffed Chappy in hand, just around the time the twins were arriving home. With Chad, Ishida, and Inoue coming by as well, Grimmjow would have been blind not to see the disappointment in the tiny reaper’s face when she realized Ichigo wasn’t walking through the door. As much as he disliked the stuffed rabbit she had in hand, Riku was instantly in love with it. “Ichi ain’t gonna be home for almost two more hours. Not that I’m throwin’ you out, I ain’t that rude.” 

Settling onto the couch with her feet tucked up under her, Rukia looked at Grimmjow intently. He could feel her trying to pry the answer out of him just by staring as he sent a quick text to his mate. His silence, and presumably her own impatience pushed Rukia to talk as he slid his phone back into his pocket. “Why not? Is he training or something?”

“Nah, he does that on Thursdays with Ishida so he can learn Quincy stuff. He’s on his way to therapy.” Forcing a smile for his son, Grimmjow tried to hide his actual concern. Ichigo had been more stressed than usual the last few weeks, and it was starting to impact the ginger’s eating habits. “You stickin’ around for a few days? Think you could do the patrollin’ for ‘im?”

“Of course, I’ll be more than happy to do so. I have noticed it seems to be getting to him more than it had before the war.” There was a faint frown on her face, telling Grimmjow that his concern over his mate was more than justified. 

The sound of feet on the stairs prevented Grimmjow from thanking the short shinigami. Toshiro spoke up, moving to sit on the couch as well. “That won’t be needed. At the meeting today it was decided that Karakura is far too active to leave up to a single shinigami, especially one that is only part time. Madarame has the first rotation, with Ichigo helping out as needed and only as needed. You’ll want to talk to Ukitake-taichou to make sure you get put on the rotation.” 

Behind the small captain, Yumichika came down the stairs with Ikkaku in tow. “I hope it’s alright that I’ve let him through the house. Masaki-kaasan, this is my good friend and the third seat of the 11th, Madarame Ikkaku.” At his side, Ikkaku bowed respectfully. Rather than saying much else, Yumichika took a seat on the floor and laughed softly as Riku shoved the soft white bunny in his face. “Ah, did Kuchiki-fukutaichou bring you a Chappy?” 

Oh, but it was hard to scowl when his son was babbling so happily. Grimmjow huffed, mostly for show as Masaki invited the bald shinigami to have a seat as well. He was antsy, but there wasn’t a good outlet for him at that moment. “Can’t understand why he likes the dang thing. It’s prey, rabbits are always prey.” 

“Chappy is adorable, and clearly Riku-chan has a better understanding of that.” Rukia smirked a little as the toddler waved the rabbit up at her. 

“Give it up, Jaegerjaquez, she’s gonna get him as much Chappy crap as she can.” Ikkaku laughed, also getting a rabbit to the face. 

“Language, Madarame-kun. I don’t want my grandbaby’s first word to be a swear.” Masaki chided the bald man gently, a soft smile on her face. “I suppose I should start dinner, shouldn’t I?”

“Nah, don’t worry.” Grimmjow pulled his phone back out and checked it again, chewing his lip a little. “Gonna buy ramen for dinner, try an’ get Ichi to eat something substantial.”

The confusion on Ikkaku’s face was clear, but Grimmjow was too distracted waiting for his phone to chime to provide any input. Thankfully, Rukia was the one who filled him in. “While Ichigo had no powers, he...it wasn’t good. He developed an eating disorder, and based on how Grimmjow-san is looking at his phone, he must be struggling more than he has been lately.”

That...was actually quite accurate. Grimmjow looked at Rukia gratefully as he set his phone down. “What kind of ramen d’you like? Same question to you, baldy.” He was naturally going to get it from his work, and knew his boss was versed on the usuals of the rest of the family’s usuals. “Not puttin’ in the order until Ichi’s out of his session, but Boss won’t know your preferences.”

Rukia sat up a little straighter, offering a small smile to Grimmjow. “Miso ramen, please. And thank you.”

“If there’s a spicy version, I’ll take that. Otherwise just regular is fine.” Ikkaku nodded in gratitude as Riku climbed into his lap to babble at him. “Seems this little guy is doin’ a lot better than Taichou had said the time he talked ‘bout him.” 

That made Grimmjow grin for the first time in the afternoon. “Heck yeah, he’s been running around the house, and might even be talkin’ soon. Aside from Lily and Mateo, Starrk and Hallibel’s cubs, he’s the first to walk, too.” 

Ikkaku returned his grin and playfully wrestled with Riku just a little. “Yeah? Bet you’re gonna be a fighter like your folks, huh. Give it a few years an’ you’ll be dukin’ it out with Yachiru.” 

Rukia grabbed a throw pillow and smacked Ikkaku in the head. “You idiot, he won’t have that much reiatsu. Not that he’s weak, or will be, but Yachiru-chan doesn’t know how to hold back.” 

While he wanted to be insulted on his son’s behalf, Grimmjow knew the small shinigami was right. He mostly zoned out until his phone rang, and a small smile tugged at his lips when he saw his mate’s name on the screen. “Hey, gettin’ ready to head home?”

_ “Yeah, I am. And I’m gonna splurge and get a cab. It’s pouring, and I am not prepared for that.” _

Looking out the window, Grimmjow wrinkled his nose. He was very glad he didn’t have to be out in that nightmare, and that Ichigo was trying not to get sick. “I’m buying ramen for dinner. Want anything additional on your usual? And do you want me to make you some tea to warm back up?”

_ “Tea sounds awesome. Can you make some of that buttermint from the English brand? And as for ramen, some fried tofu and an extra egg?”  _

Hearing the smile in his mate’s voice, Grimmjow got up and filled the electric kettle before turning it on. “Course. Just turned the kettle on now. How long on your cab?” 

_ “I think it’s pulling up now, I’m waiting inside out of the rain.” _

“Good. I’ll see ya when you get home.” It was refreshing to hear that his mate was taking care of himself so well, since Ichigo usually had trouble doing so. It seemed that having Riku was really helping the red head show more self preservation. Hanging up from Ichigo, he got ready to dial call his boss. Before he could, Riku surprised him.

“Ichi!” The little boy reached toward Grimmjow’s phone from Ikkaku’s lap, seemingly oblivious to the shocked faces looking at him.

Laughing softly, Grimmjow leaned forward to pick his cub up. “Yeah, that’s who I was talkin’ to. But you’re supposed ta call him Dad. Can you say that one? You can say Dada, yeah?” 

“Dada!” Riku was nodding hard, enough that Grimmjow worried the cub would make himself dizzy. Pressing a kiss to his son’s hair, he pulled his phone out and ordered ramen for Rukia, Ikkaku, the whole Kurosaki clan and their soulmates, and even added a small portion for his cub. Once that was done, he pulled down a mug to prepare the tea Ichigo had requested. 

Wandering into the kitchen, Rukia looked at what he was doing. “Making tea for yourself?”

“Nope, it’s for Ichi. I’m more of a coffee drinker. Aizen used to make us drink lousy tea when he had his meetings, so there ain’t many I drink if I can get something else.” Tearing open the packet holding the tea bag inside, he held it toward Rukia so she could smell the tea. “It’s herbal, mint an’ vanilla. Want some?” While it was a challenge to prepare tea with his son in his arms, it was a skill Grimmjow was getting well used to. 

“Mm, that does smell good. As long as you think Ichigo won’t mind, I’d like to try it.” Rukia smiled at the appealing aroma, wondering what it would taste like. Behind her, the twins came down and joined their mates in the living room. 

Pulling down a second mug, Grimmjow started to prepare a second cup of tea while the kettle got closer and closer to boiling. “Nah, he won’t mind.” Looking toward the living room, he noted that the twins had come back down in casual clothes and were relaxing with their partners on the couch. “Anyone else want anything? Since I’m in here.” 

No one spoke up, but Masaki did smile his way from her chair. “Just to know how long until dinner. We’ll need to set the table and find a way to squeeze Rukia-chan and Madarame-kun in as well. I think there should be another leaf for the table, but I’m not sure if we have more chairs.”

“We can bring down our desk chairs if we need to.” Yuzu turned in her seat to smile broadly at Grimmjow. “Thank you for buying dinner for everyone, Grimm-nii.”

A bit of color dusted over Grimmjow’s cheeks as he poured hot water into both mugs. “Don’t want Ichi sulkin’ ‘cause I only fed him an’ me.” Had nothing to do with the fact that the entire Kurosaki clan was his pack, or anything. 

Masaki stood and came to the kitchen. She started pulling out silverware and glasses so they could be put out on the table. “Yes, but it’s still a thoughtful thing for you to do. And we appreciate it.”

About fifteen minutes later, Ichigo came rushing in through the front door. Even though he’d taken a cab, he still looked quite soaked. “I’m home.”

“Jesus, Ich, you’re drenched.” Grimmjow stood with Riku still on his hip, having been just about ready to take the toddler up for a fresh diaper. “C’mon, come get dried off and put on somethin’ warm. Dinner’ll be here in about twenty.” 

Ichigo was rubbing his hands over his arms after hanging up his coat. “Y-yeah. Sounds good.” He paused to kiss Riku’s forehead lightly before dashing up the stairs. 

Following his mate at a slower pace, Grimmjow took Riku to the nursery. As he changed the toddler, he couldn’t help smiling a little. “Should we go make sure your dad is gettin’ warmed up? An’ maybe show ‘im what you can do now.”

Once Riku was dressed again, Grimmjow carried him to the room he shared with Ichigo. Inside, the red head was pulling on sweatpants, his damp uniform having been tossed in the hamper. “Hey. Feeling a little warmer now that you’re out of the wet clothes?”

Looking up, Ichigo smiled. “Yeah a little.” 

Looking to Riku, Grimmjow nudged the toddler gently as he adjusted his grip on his cub. “Wanna show your Dad what you can do now, Riku?”

The little boy grinned and turned, reaching for Ichigo with both arms. “Dada!”

With his hand on one of Grimmjow’s sweaters, Ichigo froze in place. His eyes were wide as he looked at Riku in amazement. “Did you just call me Dada?” Taking a step closer, he took Riku into his arms and cuddled the little boy close. “When did you start talking, baby boy?” 

There was nothing but love and pride that Grimmjow could see in Ichigo’s eyes as his mate fawned over Riku. “When I got off the phone with you because your cab had shown up. He called you Ichi first. But then I got him to say Dada next. It’s important he calls you the right name, after all.” 

The smile Ichigo gave Grimmjow lit up the ginger’s face. It was a sight that he’d been missing over the last several weeks. “Well, still. Even if I missed his very first word, I’m super proud of him.” Ichigo pressed a kiss to Riku’s cheek and snuggled the toddler a little closer. “Wanna help me pick out one of Papa’s shirts to wear? Which one should I borrow?” 

“Whichever one you want.” Grimmjow leaned against the wall, unable to stop grinning. “Oh, and the midget gave him a stuffed rabbit, too.” 

Pulling out the shirt that Riku had grabbed, Ichigo set the toddler on his desk chair just long enough to pull the heavy sweater on. Hearing about his son’s new toy made him laugh, and he was quick to scoop Riku up before he could fall from the chair. “Did your Auntie Rukia give you a Chappy?”

“Of course she did. He only put it down when he started play wrestlin’ the Cue Ball.” Reaching out, Grimmjow pulled Ichigo close and wrapped his mate in a hug. “Speakin’ of him, baldy’s here to give you a break on patrols. You ain’t gotta worry about that unless things get really outta hand.” 

“Really?” Those warm eyes looked at Grimmjow with surprise, though there was happiness in there as well. “Why?”

Since Riku was in Ichigo’s arms, Grimmjow had to dodge the small hand reaching to grab at his nose. “Guess they had a meeting and decided that Karakura’s too busy for you to handle on your own. ‘Specially since you’re only doin’ it part time. So there’s gonna be other shinigami helping out.” 

“Oh thank god.” Ichigo relaxed in Grimmjow’s arms, losing much of the tension that he’d been carrying for a while. “I’ve had so much on my plate, giving up on patrolling the city is going to take a huge weight off of me.” 

“I know. Was gonna ask Kuchiki to take over for a few days, then the shorty said Madarame is doin’ it.” It was so nice to be able to hold his small family in his arms, and Grimmjow wasn’t in a hurry to let them go. He pressed a kiss to Ichigo’s lips, lingering only a little. “You deserve a break, an’ since I can’t help souls move on, I can’t be the one to help you. It sucks not bein’ able to help.”

“You help me out so much in so many other ways, though. But at least now I’ll be home in the evenings pretty solidly.” Ichigo was smiling at him again. It was the same smile he always got when the ginger thought he was being particularly sweet, and it never failed to make Grimmjow smile back. 

Sighing softly as he loosened his hold on his mate and their cub, Grimmjow reluctantly began to lead Ichigo back downstairs. “C’mon, let’s go get some food into you. Celebratory ramen for Riku startin’ to talk.”


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, I am so sorry this took so long. The quarantine and the fact that the words didn't want to come just made it so much harder. But now I know how long this'll be and then I can start planning the sequel.

Looking in the mirror, Grimmjow fussed with his bowtie. He wanted it to sit just right, since apparently Ishida had decided to make the smaller ties instead of long ties. Thankfully it had been easy enough to learn to tie the damn thing. Looking to his right in the mirror, he saw Ichigo messing with his hair. The white and black suit looked amazing on the ginger, just like he’d thought it would. Temptation had Grimmjow wanting badly to just take his mate to bed, to peel away the layers of the suit that fit like a glove and expose milk white skin that hadn’t been touched by the sun. But he resisted. This dinner was important to Ichigo, and Grimmjow wanted to make him happy. Smiling softly, he took a half step to the right and lightly nudged Ichigo’s shoulder. “Yer hair looks great, stop messin’ with it.”

Ichigo chuckled and finally stopped, turning to face Grimmjow. “You look so good. I almost don’t want to go to dinner.” 

Grimmjow chuckled and took a moment to fuss with Ichigo’s tie. “I know what you mean. But you put a lot of thought into this, and we deserve to go out and do nice things.” 

“Yeah, you’re right.” Ichigo let Grimmjow fuss for a moment before his eyes lit up. “I almost forgot, you need to open your Christmas present before we go.” Pulling away, he went to pull a box out of the closet and set it on the bed.

Following his mate, Grimmjow leaned against the doorframe for the bathroom with a smile on his face. “Thought the point of Christmas presents was to open them on Christmas. That’s tomorrow, right?”   
  


Walking closer, Ichigo grabbed Grimmjow by the hand and pulled him closer to the bed. “True. But it would be mean to make you wait for this one until morning.” 

Grimmjow let Ichigo pull him forward, looking suspiciously at his lover. Once he got to the bed, he looked down at the box. Glancing at Ichigo, he couldn’t help grinning at the excited look on the red head’s face. Carefully peeling the paper off the box, he broke the tape holding the lid closed with the edge of his nail. Inside was a coat, and when he pulled it out, he was able to see that it was a peacoat. He’d seen the style on a customer once and had asked about it. The material was heavy, a charcoal grey with a tinge of blue to it. Sliding it on, he could tell that it was going to be plenty warm. He beamed broadly at Ichigo, reeling him in for a kiss. “Thank you, Ichi.”

Ichigo smiled into the kiss, his hands smoothing the material over Grimmjow’s chest and shoulders. “I’m glad you like it. I know you’ve been needing a warm coat.”

“I do like it. A lot.” Grimmjow now understood why Ichigo had wanted him to open the gift now, especially with how cold the weather had been for the last few days. 

Heading downstairs, he laughed when Riku came running at his legs, sweeping the toddler up into a hug. “Are you gonna be a good cub and listen to Abuela tonight while your Dad and I are out?” Riku nodded, giving Grimmjow a hug and a sloppy kiss on the cheek. Laughing at the kiss, Grimmjow passed his son to his mate.

Ichigo took Riku with a smile, cuddling the toddler. “We won’t be back until after your bedtime, so we won’t see you until tomorrow, but we do love you.” He pressed a kiss to Riku’s forehead before setting him on the couch. Once he had his shoes and jacket on, he checked and saw the cab waiting outside for them. “Our ride is here.”

Grimmjow made sure to get ready as well, following his mate to the car. The ride to the restaurant was passed in a comfortable silence, while he admired the lights and signs on the buildings he never usually got to see. When they got to the building it was in, he let out a low whistle as he got out of the cab. They were at what looked like an incredibly classy hotel, and he wondered not for the first time how Ichigo was affording this. “Are you sure we’re gonna look like we fit in here?” 

The sound of Ichigo’s chuckle warmed Grimmjow even more than his wonderful new coat was managing. “I’m sure. I did my research on what the dress code is before I talked to Ishida. Now let’s go in, the restaurant is on the third floor and we don’t want to be late for our reservation.”

The inside of the hotel was even fancier than the outside, and Grimmjow had to focus harder than he wanted to admit to not just stare at it all slack jawed as they headed for the elevator. As soon as the doors opened to the third floor, they were greeted by a distinguished looking man who was offering to take their coats. Taking the ticket for their coats, he slipped it into his pocket before taking Ichigo’s hand. “This place is amazing. I’ve never seen anything this fancy before. And I’ve been in Kuchiki’s house.” 

Ichigo just smiled at him, and the sight made Grimmjow feel like he was on top of the world. He kept hold of his lover’s hand until they were shown to their table, letting go only so they could sit across from each other. The middle of the dining area was cleared of tables, covered by a hardwood floor in front of a low stage. On the stage was a small group of musicians playing music that tickled the back of his brain with a faint sense of familiarity. There were some couples dancing to the music , swirling around the hardwood in a three beat rhythm. 

“I think that dance is called a waltz.” Ichigo’s voice brought Grimmjow’s attention back to their table, now with glasses of water and some sort of sparkling red drink. “Since I’m underage, I asked for a sparkling cider. It’s got cranberry juice and some kind of berry I haven’t heard of before that grows in America.” 

Grimmjow picked up his glass and sniffed it before taking a sip. The drink was tart, but not unpleasant, and he took another before setting it back down and reaching for the menu. “I suppose we oughta decide what we want before I see if I can sweep you off your feet, then.”

Across the table, Ichigo’s eyes went a little wide, and his cheeks turned rosy in the soft lighting of the restaurant. “Are you saying you know how to waltz?” 

Looking at the dancers again, Grimmjow studied one of the men for several moments. He memorized the way the man stepped and moved before looking back at Ichigo and nodding. “Yeah, I think I can avoid making an ass of us both.” He looked back down at the menu, going over the choices. Most of the dishes had steak of one cut or another, and he asked a few questions of their waitress before making his choice. As soon as they had both ordered, he was up and out of his chair, holding a hand out to Ichigo.

Ichigo looked up at Grimmjow, scepticism clear in his eyes. “If you trip me, I am  _ so  _ gonna kick your ass the next time we spar.” He let himself be pulled to his feet and toward the dancefloor, one hand settling onto Grimmjow’s shoulder as they got in position to start their dance. 

Chuckling softly, Grimmjow waited for a new song to start. Once it did, he moved, his left leg guiding Ichigo’s right leg back as he stepped forward. His right food moved to the side and forward, just like he’d watched the other men do. By the time he had completed the sixth step and his feet were back together, he was grinning as he started the cycle over again. The more he and Ichigo both got used to it, the more they moved in time to the music. “This feels really familiar. Like I’ve done it before.” 

“Yeah? But you haven’t been practicing in secret at home, have you.” Honeyed eyes shone at Grimmjow as he started making the steps more complex, twirling around the dance floor. “Unless you’ve been able to get  _ Nel _ to keep quiet about it, that is.” 

“Nah, I haven’t done anything like that. I think I knew how to dance like this before.” Back when he’d been human, before his death and corruption into a hollow. Even the music was faintly familiar, and he caught himself humming along to it softly. 

Ichigo was silent for a long while as they danced, but he did rest his head on Grimmjow’s shoulder. “I think I like the music better when you’re humming it than when the band is playing it.” His voice was soft, just loud enough for Grimmjow to hear it, but that was fine, Grimmjow was the only one who mattered. 

Grimmjow felt his cheeks grow warm and he held Ichigo just a little closer. The trust his soulmate had in him was clear with how fluidly they moved, swirling around the dancefloor with an ease that implied years of practice instead of mere moments. He kept an eye on their table as much as he could, slowing to a stop when he saw their food arriving. Ichigo’s head came up from his shoulder, warm honey colored eyes curious. But Grimmjow used the arm that was around his partner’s back to steer the younger man toward their dinner. “Food’s here.” He even pulled Ichigo’s chair out for him before taking his own seat across from his love. 

The food smelled divine, and Ichigo’s stomach growled a little before he could take a bite. The sound he made as he took his first taste of the entree almost made Grimmjow choke on his own food. “Oh my god, now I totally understand why this place has such amazing reviews. The food is phenomenal.” 

“It is damn good, isn’t it?” Grimmjow grinned across the table, pleased to see Ichigo so cheerful. “This was a wonderful idea, Ichi. Thank you for setting it all up.” 

A flush crossed the ginger’s cheeks as he took another bite. “Well, we don’t get a lot of time to go on proper dates, and Christmas Eve is the big holiday for couples here. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.” 

Grimmjow’s smile softened a little at that, and he reached out to touch Ichigo’s hand on the top of the table. “We coulda gone for ramen and it woulda been special. This? Is an amazing treat I’m gonna enjoy remembering for  _ years. _ ” He sipped his cider and ate more of the steak that was practically melting in his mouth. “How much time do you have between graduation and starting med school, again?” 

“Two weeks. And I’ve already been getting my textbooks and supplies I’ll need so I don’t have to fight the crowds on campus for that during the break.” Ichigo barely looked up from his own steak, alternating between bites of meat and the expertly cooked vegetables that were served as a side. “Why?”

“We should do something as a family. You, me, an’ Riku. And then maybe just something you and me.” He knew their cub was too young to remember much, but that was what cameras were for. And the gallery on his phone was absolutely  _ full _ of pictures of Ichigo and Riku. “I just don’t know what would be fun to do with him since he’s so small.” 

The smile Grimmjow got made his knees weak, and he was glad he was sitting so it wasn’t obvious. “We could take a few days and go up to Tokyo. The zoo is always a fun place to go, and I haven’t been in years. They usually have a petting zoo area with animals he can interact with and feed. We could even make it a yearly thing, start our own family tradition.” 

“Then we’re doin’ it.” Having a tradition for just the three of them? Grimmjow couldn’t wait for March, now. “After we get back, maybe we can see if your folks’ll watch him for a few days and go to a hot spring. Get some time for just us.” It was important to keep each other as high priorities, even though they were parents. Isshin and Masaki had both advised that, saying it was the key to a healthy relationship. 

Ichigo let out a sound somewhere between sinful and agreeing, making Grimmjow shift in his seat a little. “Oh my god that sounds amazing. Do you want to plan that and I’ll plan Tokyo?” 

“Sure. I’ll make sure to pick somewhere perfect for us.” Under the table, Grimmjow let the toe of his shoe run lightly along the inside of Ichigo’s ankle. He only prayed his shoe was clean enough not to leave any evidence on the stunning white suit his mate was wearing. 

Once he’d finished his entree, Grimmjow reached into his suit jacket. “Y’know, I’m glad you gave me my present tonight. Because now I don’t feel silly giving you yours.” He pulled out a long envelope and handed it to Ichigo. 

Having just barely finished his own meal, Ichigo looked at the envelope with amused curiosity. Grimmjow watched nimble fingers pull out the flap that had been tucked into the back instead of being sealed down, pulling out a pair of tickets. “Hamlet? You got tickets to see a live performance of Hamlet for me?” 

The love he could see in Ichigo’s eyes made Grimmjow grin like a fool as he nodded. “I hear it’s got plenty of action, so I thought it sounded like the right one to go to. The show is while you’re still off for winter break, and the seats are in the third row, so we won’t have to be looking straight up at the stage the whole time.” 

Ichigo was clearly a little choked up, his eyes blinking more than usual as he carefully tucked the tickets back into the envelope. “Thank you, Grimmjow. This is a wonderful present.” He tucked the envelop into the inner pocket Ishida had stitched into the suit jacket and made sure it was secure. 

The waitress brought out their desserts that were included with their dinner, a slice of roll cake with gold leaf and chocolate imported from Europe. Once she had taken their dinner plates away with her, Grimmjow leaned across the table just enough to press a kiss to the back of Ichigo’s hand. “Merry Christmas, Gorgeous.” 


	39. Chapter 39

Dinner had been such a wonderful affair that Grimmjow almost hadn’t wanted it to end. But the way Ichigo had felt pressed against his side in the cab on the way home reminded him that they had a nice quiet bedroom to look forward to. And he could do what he’d been resisting all evening. Just the thought of being able to take his time and drive his mate wild had him smirking mischievously. It was half past nine by the time they got home, and he made sure to give the driver a tip, in the spirit of the holiday. 

The house was mostly quiet when they stepped inside, but Grimmjow saw Masaki’s head resting on Isshin’s shoulder from behind the couch as they watched a movie together. He and Ichigo both offered a silent wave before slipping up the stairs. Out of habit, they stopped by Riku’s room, making sure that he was still fast asleep, before continuing to their own room. Before Ichigo could open the door, Grimmjow swept the ginger up into his arms like a princess. It was a challenge to turn the knob, but he managed to get them inside without Ichigo’s head hitting the doorframe. Kicking it shut, Grimmjow carried his mate to their bed and laid him down like he was made of glass. “You really made tonight special for me, Ichi. I can’t tell you how much that means to me. Not in Japanese or in Spanish.” 

There was a bright blush on Ichigo’s cheeks as he looked up at Grimmjow, nimble fingers undoing the white bowtie at the base of his throat. “That why you carried me across the threshold like that?”

Grimmjow had undone his own tie and pulled it free from the collar of his shirt before reaching out to take Ichigo’s. Both ties got dropped onto the nightstand as the arrancar shrugged out of his jacket. “Partly. I wanna make tonight special for you, too. So just relax and let me take care of you, yeah?” 

The tone of his voice was a little husky and it was clearly getting to Ichigo if that tent in his trousers was any indication. The redhead sat up long enough to shimmy out of his own jacket, smiling as that was taken from him and hung up immediately. “I think I can manage that. Until you drive me completely crazy, anyway.” 

A low chuckle rumbled in Grimmjow’s chest as he knelt on the bed. He leaned over Ichigo, guiding the younger man down without needing to even touch him. “I love driving you crazy, though. And it’s been a long goddamn time since I could go slow and really send you reeling.” Bracing his weight on his left forearm, he stroked his right hand from Ichigo’s waist up to the collar of the black dress shirt and slowly began to undo the buttons. Grimmjow took his time, peppering kisses over Ichigo’s pale skin. Starting at the base of his lover’s throat, he moved lower with each button that was undone. He didn’t stop until he hit the waist of the tailored white slacks that Ichigo still wore. 

The kisses were already enough to have Ichigo breathing a little harder, and it was all he could do to stay still under Grimmjow. “You just wanna hear me beg, I know how you are.” There was a teasing grin on his face as his hands tried to reach Grimmjow’s shirt buttons as well. “Not fair that you’ve got me almost shirtless and you’re still all dressed.” 

“Oh, so you want it to be fair, huh?” Moving back up, Grimmjow claimed his lover’s lips in a slow and sensual kiss. He held his weight entirely on his knees and used both hands to untuck Ichigo’s shirt before easing it off narrow shoulders. The ginger would never be quite as broad as he was, but Grimmjow enjoyed that about Ichigo. He looked deceptively weak just based on that, even though he was lean and more powerful than probably anyone would ever know. 

“Well, at least in how much you’re wearing. If you take yours off at the same rate as you strip me, I won’t accidentally damage these nice clothes later when I’m desperate for you.” As soon as his arms were free of his shirt, Ichigo started on the buttons of Grimmjow’s shirt. They were small and a little more fiddly than he’d been expecting based on how intently he looked at each one. 

When Grimmjow’s shirt was pulled free of his own slacks, he laughed softly at the triumphant noise Ichigo made. But he also slipped it off and tossed it toward the closet without hesitation. “I’d offer to get up so we can both strip, but then I’d miss out on feelin’ how your legs twitch and tremble when I’m runnin’ my hands up them.” He placed a hand on Ichigo’s shoulder and pushed gently, just enough to get his lover to lay back down. Leaning down, Grimmjow took a moment to press a kiss to the scar tissue over Ichigo’s heart, a remnant of old nightmares and pain. He looked back up at Ichigo as he undid the fly on the younger man’s trousers and began to slowly push them down. “Lift your hips for me, babe.”

Ichigo did as he was told, groaning softly as Grimmjow’s hands moved down his legs to push the slacks off. “Your hands feel good, Grimm.” He moved his own down to hook into the waist of his underwear, fully intent on getting completely naked. 

Seeing what Ichigo was intending to do, Grimmjow pulled his hands away and moved so he could pin them to the pillow on either side of the ginger’s head. “Keep these here. I’m the one getting to touch you right now.” And just to incentivise Ichigo to do as he was asked, Grimmjow got off the bed long enough to shed both his slacks and his boxers. When he returned to the bed, he stayed close to Ichigo’s feet. Calloused hands slid up pale calves and thighs until he reached the waistband of his lover’s underwear, and only then was that last item of clothing removed. Grimmjow pulled them down and off just as slowly as he had Ichigo’s pants, tossing them in the general direction of the rest of their clothes without looking. 

Now that his lover was laid bare before him, Grimmjow felt he was ready to really drive Ichigo wild. Gently, he spread those milk white legs just a bit, cradling one ankle in his hand. It was such a narrow, weak looking joint, but he knew how much Ichigo relied on the power and flexibility of it. Without strong ankles, he would never be able to turn as quickly or move so fluidly, so Grimmjow pressed a kiss to the inside of the joint. He moved his hand upward, feeling the coiled strength in Ichigo’s calf. The muscle was firm and solid, like the rest of the redhead, but it was also lean. These were the muscles that allowed Ichigo to always stand his ground and not be pushed back. So Grimmjow kissed the side of Ichigo’s calf and kept going. He admired a sharply defined knee, remembering all the times they’d sparred and he’d taken a knee to the stomach or ribs. Structurally, it was such a weak point, but it could transfer so much power. And at least on Ichigo, the backside was  _ very _ ticklish. He resisted the urge to tickle his lover though, so Grimmjow kissed the side of Ichigo’s knee and moved to his thigh.

Those thighs. God, if Grimmjow was better with words, he’d write poetry about Ichigo’s thighs. The muscles were tight and toned, the skin pale as milk. He couldn’t decide which was better, cutting Ichigo’s hakama when they sparred to see his lover’s thighs flexing as he ran or lunged, or feeling the way the muscles clenched and relaxed against his waist and hips when they had sex. So he trailed kisses along the inside of Ichigo’s thigh, nipping lightly here and there just to pull gasps and soft moans from the ginger’s lips. Grimmjow kept going up to the joint at his hip, finding a freckle there that he hadn’t noticed before and kissing it before pulling back. 

Ichigo was panting heavily, reaching to thread his fingers through Grimmjow’s hair. “Fucking hell, Grimmjow… You tryin’ to kill me here?”

Setting down the leg he’d just spend time basically worshipping, he laughed softly. “Nah, jus’ wanna spoil you. You deserve it.” Grimmjow picked up Ichigo’s other leg, repeating the treatment from the ankle up. He could tell how aroused his mate was, and it was one hell of an ego boost that he could get the ginger so worked up just by touching and kissing his legs. By the time he was at Ichigo’s hip again, the younger man was dripping pre on his own stomach. “All the hell I put you through durin’ the war, my actual fuckin’ personality. You took it all, and didn’t once ask me to change. Jus’ accepted me, violent side an’ all. Even my Fraccion only accepted me ‘cause I was stronger than them. I’ve never had to prove myself like that to you.”

Hands reached for Grimmjow, pulling him up for a deep kiss. Long fingers stroked over his scalp and dull nails scratched at the base of his skull as Ichigo cradled his head. “Dumbass. ‘Course I wasn’t gonna ask you to change, you wouldn’t be you if I made you change to be someone or something else. Now would you stop fucking teasing me and fuck me already?”

The question made Grimmjow laugh, and he pressed his forehead to Ichigo’s collarbone for a moment. “Jus’ be patient a little longer, Ich. Still gotta get you ready for me, after all.” He nipped Ichigo’s collarbone before sitting up, reaching for the nightstand to get the lube. As much as he wanted to really take his time to work the red head open, he knew neither of them had the patience for it. He only waited long enough to let the lube warm on his fingertips before starting to open Ichigo up. 

One finger, then two, and Grimmjow was spreading them apart to really prepare his lover. Ichigo was whimpering and clenching at their sheets, clearly fighting to stay still. He wanted the younger man to feel as amazing as possible, so he added a third finger just to make sure. For his own part, Ichigo was struggling to stay still and was whining. “Grimm...fuck, just fuck me. Don’t keep teasing me.” 

As much as he wanted to continue to drive his lover mad, Grimmjow’s patience was wearing thin as well. Leaning in close, he kissed Ichigo slowly as he eased his fingers out. “Just let me get ready for you, Ich. Then I’ll give you everything you want.” 

As soon as he was ready, Grimmjow pressed into Ichigo with one slow thrust. The feeling of being so completely surrounded by his lover was always a little overwhelming, and if it was possible, he was sure the hole in his chest would seal right back up. Ichigo made him feel complete in a way he couldn’t ever recall being before, considering he couldn’t remember his own mortal life. Hell, he didn’t even know how long he’d been a hollow for, just that it was a long damn time. He felt whole again, even when they weren’t making love, just from the amount of love he was given. And he was sure as hell going to do his damnedest to return it all with all the ferocity that he had in him. 

Every gasp and moan that fell from Ichigo’s lips, Grimmjow echoed with his own. It was hell to keep things slow and steady, especially with his lover begging and tempting him to move harder and faster, but he patently refused. He wanted to take things slow, to undo Ichigo the way the red head could undo him with little more than a smile. As he brought his lover to the edge, Grimmjow leaned down and practically purred in Ichigo’s ear. “I love you.” He didn’t say those three words often, usually showing his love in other ways, but he knew it mattered to Ichigo. And he also knew it would be just the right thing to send the younger man reeling. 

Later, once they were cleaned up and drifting in that space between sleep and wakefulness, Grimmjow wrapped his arms around Ichigo and held him close. “Soon as it’s legal, I’m marryin’ you. I know it means more to humans that it will to me, but I don’t care. I want everyone who looks at you to know you’re off the market, that we ain’t just platonic soulmates. I know I’m not great at sayin’ it, but hell, Ichi, I’d burn the world down for you.” 

There was a goofy grin on Ichigo’s face at Grimmjow’s words, and he let out a happy little hum. “Then you’d better get me an awesome ring. An’ no burning the world down, where would we raise Riku if you did that?” He yawned and blinked tiredly, snuggling into Grimmjow a little more. 

Seeing how sleepy he’d made his lover, Grimmjow gave him one more kiss before fussing with the blankets just a little. He didn’t want either of them to get cold in the night. “Get you the best damn ring I can find, I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it's taken so long to get this out. With COVID it's been a struggle to write, but I can guarantee the story will be done before November.


	40. Chapter 40

Grimmjow wasn’t sure what time it was, or how long he’d slept, but he didn’t want to wake up yet. Still, there was a warm body pressed to his side, and lips trailing along his cheek teasing him to wake. Groaning softly, he rolled over and buried his face in Ichigo’s neck. “Nn. ‘S early.” At least he had a feeling it was early. 

Ichigo chuckled, shaking them both a little in the process. “Merry Christmas to you, too. And it’s just a little past seven.” 

Whining, Grimmjow burrowed more into his lover’s heat. “ _ Way _ too early.” Though he knew Riku was likely to be up soon and wanting food and affection. Plus, it was his first Christmas, which meant Isshin was already planning to record the whole damn thing.

“I’ll make you some really good coffee. As soon as you let me up.” There was still laughter in Ichigo’s voice, but his hand was warm and soothing along Grimmjow’s shoulders. 

“Well, I s’ppose that’s good enough.” Cracking his eyes open, Grimmjow pressed a kiss to Ichigo’s neck just behind his ear. “Even if ya are comfy an’ warm.”

“I might be warm, but Mom’s making cinnamon rolls. Something that only ever happened on Christmas when I was little. And as much as I love you, I will seriously consider knifing you if you make me miss out on that.” Even though it was comforting to be pinned under Grimmjow’s weight, Ichigo meant what he said. “If you let me up now, I’ll change Riku and take him downstairs with me.” 

That was an offer too good to refuse, so Grimmjow rolled off his mate. He did laugh at the threat, making sure to admire the redhead’s body as he watched Ichigo get up and pad into the bathroom. “Assumin’ your Mom didn’t take him down already.” He knew he should get up, but Ichigo’s side of the bed was warm and smelled like happiness.

By the time Ichigo was done in the bathroom, Grimmjow had managed to get himself at least sitting up. The ginger smiled warmly and made sure to give his mate a kiss. “I’ll go make sure there’s coffee on and get a cup ready just the way you like it. And I’ll save you a cinnamon roll.” 

Smiling into the kiss, Grimmjow nodded and let Ichigo leave without further impediments. He took his time getting ready and making his way down to the dining room. Which, for the arrancar, meant it only took him about five minutes. Riku was in the highchair with half a cinnamon roll deconstructed in front of him and the sticky filling all over his face. The sight made Grimmjow laugh softly as he took a seat where his favorite coffee cup was at. “Are Abuela’s cinnamon rolls tasty, little cub?” They certainly smelled like it.

“Yummy!” Riku shouted, shoving another piece into his mouth.

“I gave him one without icing. I didn’t think he needed that much sugar.” Masaki laughed softly from her own seat and pulled a half a curl off her own roll.

Grimmjow nodded in agreement as he sipped his coffee, humming appreciatively at the taste. Ichigo put a plate in front of him before taking the seat on Riku’s other side across from him. With a grateful smile, Grimmjow took a big bite of the sweet treat. “Damn, that is good. Can see now why you threatened me for one.” 

“Ichigo!” Masaki chided, clearly trying to sound mad at her son.

“What?” Ichigo shot back, not at all ashamed of himself. “You’re the only one who knows the recipe to get them this good. Yuzu and I have both tried, and failed, to make cinnamon rolls this good.” 

Grimmjow looked between the two and chuckled fondly as he ate, casting a glance at Masaki. “Guess that’s what happens with proprietary recipes. I’m bettin’ there’s plenty you used to make that they don’t do just the way you did.” 

“I suppose you’re right.” Masaki chuckled a little, giggling at how Riku was smearing sticky filling over his tray on his highchair. “You are gonna be a sticky little boy today, aren’t you?” 

“Oh, most likely.” Coming into the dining room. Isshin ruffled the toddler’s hair gently before taking a seat for himself. “My darling wife, these are the best cinnamon rolls I’ve had in my exceptionally long life. The absence of them has dulled my memory, and surely your cooking skills have only grown better in our time apart!” All it took was one bite before he was falling over himself with praise. It made Grimmjow laugh, mostly because Masaki was just preening from the compliments being heaped on her. 

Breakfast was the same busy affair it always was on weekends, though Riku was unsurprisingly the most excited. Grimmjow was pretty sure he had no idea what the day was about, just that everyone was in a really good mood. He grinned at his son as Riku ‘helped’ get dressed, tugging a very cute little sweater over the toddler’s head. “Yeah you’re gonna have a blast just openin’ presents, huh? Not even gonna care what’s in ‘em.” 

“Mm, probably. Though apparently Dad splurged on a new video camera and a like three terabyte memory card for the day. He’s getting it set up so that the first Christmas for the whole extended family will be recorded.” Ichigo’s voice chimed in from the door. Turning around, Grimmjow couldn’t help grinning at the sight of the ginger in one of his own sweatshirts. It was loose over Ichigo’s shoulders, and the sleeves were a little overly long, but that just made his heart swell all the more. 

“Yeah? Think he’ll let us borrow it when we take Riku to the zoo?” It was still a few months away, but Grimmjow hadn’t forgotten what they’d planned out the night before. 

Ichigo grinned, bright as the sun as he walked in to help wrestle Riku into some warm socks and some pants. “When we tell him it’s to record Riku? He’ll totally let us take it along.” 

Since his partner was in reach, Grimmjow snaked his arms around Ichigo and held him close. He both enjoyed leeching the younger man’s warmth, and just genuinely enjoyed the small moment. Just the two of them and their cub, it wasn’t something that they got a lot of. With having so many people under the same roof, and the demands of the ramen shop and Ichigo’s schooling, Grimmjow took advantage of moments like that as often as he could. He buried his face in the side of Ichigo’s neck, breathing deeply and letting out a sound closer to a purr than anything else. “You even  _ smell _ happy.”

“I am happy.” Grimmjow could practically feel Ichigo’s amusement at him as arms draped over his shoulders. “Did you get your Secret Santa gift under the tree yet or do you need me to go grab it?” 

“It’s down there already. I’ll take Riku and meet you down there?” Throwing in a nuzzle just because he could, Grimmjow couldn’t help grinning as he pulled back. Riku was working on pulling his socks off, so he scooped the tot up into a hug. “Gotta keep those on, Cub. You don’t like having cold toes. ‘Sides, your cousins’ll all be here soon.” 

“Yep, I’ll be down in a minute.” Ichigo pressed a kiss to Grimmjow’s cheek, then gave Riku one as well before leaving the room. Riku squealed happily at the kiss and began babbling at Grimmjow nonsensically. Grimmjow just nodded along like he understood. 

In the hallway, he saw Halibel and Stark arriving, and raised an eyebrow at them both. Neither had their usual masks, and Halibel was wearing one of Nel’s old tops that covered her neck to waist. “Wow, I had no idea you had marks under your mask.” The woman had a dark blue lightning bolt on each cheek that was now on display without the bone to hide it.

Halibel’s cheeks darkened a little, surprising Grimmjow. He didn’t think she would be so self conscious. “I’d forgotten about them, to be honest.” She had Mateo on one hip, with Apache and Mila Rose behind her carrying stacks of gifts. “Starrk and I brought presents for all the little ones as well as our Secret Santas. I hope having my fraccion carrying them won’t cause any offence.” 

“It shouldn’t. I’ll vouch for ‘em.” Grimmjow offered a small smile, turning around to lead the way downstairs. “Masaki, don’t freak out, alright?” 

Masaki turned around from where she had been preparing the assembly line for the tamales based on what Chad had told her to get and what he had brought. The tall teen was just in the process of taking his coat off when Grimmjow came down the stairs. “Why am I supposed to not freak out?” 

“Halibel’s got two of her underlings playin’ pack mules for her an’ Starrk.” Jerking his thumb over his shoulder, Grimmjow got out of the way so Halibel and her two fraccion to get down the stairs. 

Once she had reached the base of the stairs, Halibel set Mateo on his feet and bowed to Masaki. “I do apologize for not asking for your permission first. But Starrk and I brought more than we could carry on our own for the children and our recipients.” 

The look on Masaki’s face had Grimmjow trying not to laugh as the woman took a look at Mila Rose and Apache. He watched her turn mostly to Mila Rose and frown a little. “Young lady, how in the world do you stay warm? At least Halibel-san usually only has ner middle uncovered. You must be freezing.” She grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch, one he’d watched her knit in the span of the month she’d been reunited with her family and threw it around Mila’s shoulders. “There. I know you’re technically dead, I am too, but catching a cold is no walk in the park.” 

Mila Rose looked like she’d been struck by lightning. “T-thank you?” She pulled the blanket around her shoulders a little tighter. 

“I’ll make another few here soon, so you won’t be left out.” Masaki beamed at Apache. She looked like she wanted to pat the woman on the head, but that sharp spike on her mask made it far from ideal. 

“That is very kind of you, Masaki-san. I’m sure my fraccion will all be very grateful for it.” Halibel smiled, an expression Grimmjow was used to just picking up in her voice and not on her face. “Mila, Apache, I will inform you if Starrk and I need assistance bringing Lily and Mateo’s presents back with us.” Both fraccion nodded before bowing to Masaki and taking off back up the stairs to return to Las Noches. 

“Wasn’t that the blanket you’ve been working on, Masaki-san?” Nel brought some of the shopping bags to the table to start unpacking them as Yuuto toddled over to the other children. “I don’t think Mila Rose has ever been given anything before. Sun Sun will be thrilled to get one of her own.” 

“She was the one that didn’t come along.” Grimmjow added, ever so helpfully. 

“Yes, I suspected as much.” Masaki just smiled at him, and Grimmjow felt a little silly. But he couldn’t feel that embarrassed, not when Riku was grabbing at his lower lip. “What are you doin’ crazy boy?” 

“Probably trying to get you to smile.” Ichigo’s voice was full of warmth and amusement when he made it down, complete with a Christmas sweater. “Did we want to do the kids’ presents before lunch and the exchange gifts after?” 

With his free arm, Grimmjow pulled Ichigo down onto the loveseat with him and nuzzled his cheek. “Sounds good to me, I’m sure everyone else’ll be fine with it.” 

And they were. Most of what the kids got were blankets and clothes, educational toys and books, and even some sweets for them. And while the little ones all played and babbled at each other in messes of Japanese, Spanish, and baby nonsense, food was prepared. Grimmjow kept refilling his mug with the drink Chad had brought over, and he even had a great chat with Halibel about the status of the treaty. 

Lunch had been a feast that even Byakuya had looked impressed by, if Grimmjow had to guess. It was hard to read the noble’s expression, especially when he himself was so distracted by the food. There was a hearty soup, the tamales he’d watched getting made, and of course the fried chicken. By the end, none of them had any room for the cakes yet. The little ones all seemed to be winding down, so he got the big throw blanket from the storage closet and put it on the floor for the little ones to sleep on while the adults did presents. “Alright, guess it’s time to start on our presents. Who’s up first?” 

“Why not you, Grimm-kun?” Isshin was settled back against the oversized chair from his seat on the floor, and there were several others joining him. It was the one downside to the small size of the Kurosaki living room. 

Since he was currently the closest to the tree, Grimmjow nodded and found the gift for himself. It was soft, and was quite small, so he had no idea what it was. Tearing the paper carefully so he wouldn’t risk damaging the contents, Grimmjow had to laugh when he unrolled the tightly packed present. It was a six pack of bandanas in pastel colors, covered in cutesy patterns of kitty faces and pawprints, fish skeletons and balls of yarn. “Awesome, I’ve been needing some new ones for work. Who’ve I got to thank for this, then?”

Isshin held his hand up, looking a little put out. “I was hoping to embarrass you with them, I’ll be honest. But I’m glad you like them.” 

“I really do. And now it’s your turn.” Since Isshin had been the one to gift to him, Grimmjow dug the man’s gift out and passed it down the line so he could open it. 

Unlike Grimmjow, Isshiin was not careful with his wrapping paper. He ripped it to shreds like the kids had before lunch, revealing a one pound bag of Kona Gold Coffee. Isshin let out a low whistle. “Wow, this is a good brand. You sure it was under the limit?” 

From his seat on the floor, Byakuya chuckled and nodded. “I’m sure. I converted the currency and bought it overseas.” Even Grimmjow knew that coffee was more in the Japanese stores. 

“Y’know I’m not sure if that’s clever as hell or cheating in some way.” Grimmjow snorted in amusement as he handed over the gift for Byakuya. He knew what it was, but he wasn’t about to tell. 

Like everything he did, Byakuya opened his gift with precision. He found a boxed set inside, holding a hard covered journal and matching pen themed in Seaweed Ambassador. A pleased smile bloomed on Byakuya’s face at the sight. “Thank you, I will put this to good use.” 

“I might have heard you’re a fan.” Ichigo was grinning broadly, a sight Grimmjow would never get tired of. He stole a kiss as he handed over the present with his partner’s name on it. 

“Okay, it feels like a book.” Taking the solid package, Ichigo weighed it in his hands before starting a tear in the paper. He had it half off when he saw the title, and his whole face lit up like the sun as he tore off the rest of the paper. “Thank you so much. It’s gonna be nice to have a copy of  _ Midsummer Night’s Dream _ that isn’t rubber banded together.” 

On the couch, Nel giggled brightly. “I wasn’t sure which play to get for you, so Grimmjow suggested that one. I’m glad you like it.” She held her hands out for her present as Chad played with the ends of her hair. 

“Feels like you got a book, too.” Grinning, Grimmjow had Ichigo hand it over to Nel as he waited to see who would be the next to be handed a present. 

Nel, like Isshin, just went to town on the wrapping paper, tossing the scraps into the box that was holding all the wrapping paper from the day so far. The cover of the book stated it was a cookbook with recipes optimized for boxers, and she beamed. “This is wonderful! I’ll be able to cook meals to help Yasutora’s training. I love it.” 

“I had a feeling you’d want something useful. I flipped through it before getting it, and every recipe I saw sounded quite good.” Ishida smiled softly, taking the gift with his name on it with a grateful smile. 

The gift he’d handed Ishida was shaped a bit oddly, and had some interesting weight to it, so Grimmjow watched eagerly as it was unwrapped. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but a pair of scissors and a ball with an elastic band wasn’t it. But Ishida seemed very pleased. “I’ve been needing new fabric shears, and this pin cushion will be much easier than holding pins in my mouth.” 

Starrk chuckled softly, shaking his head a little. “You’re a hard man to shop for, amigo. Had to get tips from Kisuke on where to go. But the shop workers were sure those would be a hit. I’m glad they were right.” 

“Glad Kisuke steered you right.” Picking up the package for Starrk, Grimmjow tossed it at the primera. 

Catching his gift, Starrk gave it a squeeze. “Hmm, it’s soft.” He picked a hole in the paper and opened it, keeping most of the wrapping intact as he slid the contents out. It was a king sized blanket of the softest material he’d ever felt, and the cardboard on the front of the folded throw showed a pattern of a wolf pack. Grimmjow could see the moisture pooling in the other arrancar’s eyes, displaying just how touched he felt. “Muchas gracias. This is beautiful, I can’t wait to wrap Lily up in it tonight when we sleep.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your patience with me on this fic. While this installment is complete, I'm not committed to being done with this universe. If you've made it this far, just know I appreciate you, and wish you all the best.


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